Dizzee Rascal’s ex-fiancee said she left him due to ‘domestic abuse’, court told

The grime artist, whose real name is Dylan Kwabena Mills, denies assaulting Cassandra Jones at a residential property in Streatham on June 8.

Dizzee Rascal outside a previous hearing at Croydon Magistrates’ Court (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

Dizzee Rascal’s ex-fiancee said she left the chart-topping rapper because of “domestic abuse”, a court has heard.

The grime artist, whose real name is Dylan Kwabena Mills, denies assaulting Cassandra Jones at a residential property in Streatham, south London, on June 8 last year as they argued about their children following their break-up.

The 36-year-old behind chart-topping singles Bonkers and Dance Wiv Me, who wore a suit and tie to the trial at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Friday, had two children with Ms Jones before they split in February 2021.

Prosecutor Helena Duong said the alleged assault occurred in “the context of a domestic dispute” about child contact during what was a “fairly chaotic scene” when he dropped off their daughter at the property.

The court heard that during the incident Mills allegedly “barged” his way into the house carrying their son, started “shouting and screaming”, “put his forehead against hers and pushed her around the room”, and “pushed her to the ground”.

The prosecutor said that during the incident, “he became very angry and started acting erratically, banging his head three times on the fridge with his son in his arms”.

But Sally Bennett-Jenkins QC, defending Mills, questioned “inconsistencies” in several witness statements Ms Jones had made about the incident.

Ms Bennett-Jenkins argued that both Mills and Ms Jones were screaming at each other during the argument.

Ms Jones, who became increasingly upset during her cross-examination, replied: “Yes, because I was screaming to give back my son.

“He said: ‘I cannot understand why you left me’ and I said: ‘I left you because of domestic abuse’,” she added, raising her voice in tears.

Questioned on why she wrote that he “threw” her to the ground in one statement rather than “barged” her, Ms Jones said: “I was in shock about what had happened and I was still caring for both our babies.

“I’m sorry I used the wrong word but what happened happened and all I can do is speak my truth.”

When Ms Bennett-Jenkins questioned her claims that Mills “nearly dropped” their son, Ms Jones said: “He is listening and he knows he did that. He knows. He knows. He knows he nearly did that.”

Ms Jones earlier told the court in tears that Mills “was out of control” during the incident.

She said when Mills “nearly dropped” their son, the baby “was screaming for me and I said ‘Please just give me him'”.

“I was scared for my babies,” she added.

Ms Jones later said: “He put his forehead on my forehead and he pushed me around the room” but added that it was not a “headbutt”.

She said Mills also “barged” her and she “fell to the floor”, bruising and grazing her left arm.

“He was charging around, in and out of the house. He was out of control,” she added.

Mills released his debut album, Boy In Da Corner, in 2003, and his seventh studio album, E3 AF, which refers to his east London postcode and African heritage, is due out on October 30.

He was made an MBE for services to music in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2020, and performed at festivals in August including Live at Lydiard in Swindon and Boardmasters in Cornwall.

Mills, of Sevenoaks in Kent, who was charged on August 2, denies assault by beating.

The trial continues.