Finley Quaye escapes jail over drunken bar attack but tells court he cannot afford to pay £525 fine

Finley Quaye has avoided a prison sentence after admitting punching a bar manager in the face in an unprovoked drunken attack.

The Even After All singer was handed a fine of £525 and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and 12 months rehabilitation by district judge Michael Snow at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Quaye, 45, told the court he was on benefits and offered to pay the fine at the rate of £15-a-week.

Judge Snow told the Scottish-born singer, who lives in London: “What makes this offence serious is the level of culpability involved - before the punch you made considerable threats that would have caused significant fear then you punched this man in the face.”

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Asked if he had any work Quaye replied: “No, not for lack of trying.”

Judge Snow said: “If you go around thumping managers in the face I don't suppose you are going to get much work.”

Quaye pled guilty to punching bar manager Robert Jenei of the ­Troubadour on London’s Old Brompton Road after performing there on 8 September. The Your Love Gets Sweeter singer admitted in court he had been drinking in the venue all day and did no remember the assault the next day.

Prosecutor Malachy Pakenham told the court Quaye became “visibly angry” after asking Jenei for help searching for a handbag lost by a female friend

The defendant was seen being verbally abusive and threatening towards the victim and security staff at a licensed premises, saying he was going to punch them in the face.”

Quaye then punched him in the face, bruising his left eye.

The court heard Quaye had then kicked a BMW belonging to security staff before shouting abuse in the street and said: “I will stab you lot in the kidney, I will stab you in the wind pipe.”

Pakenham said: “He was heard saying, ‘When I get out I will f*** you up. Not only will I shoot you, I will get a grenade.’”

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Pakenham told the court Quaye has a total of 14 previous convictions related to alcohol.

Quaye rose to fame in the late 90s following the release of his hit debut album Maverick A Strike. The reggae singer has a history of bad behaviour.

He was convicted of aggravated assault in 2012 and found guilty of cannabis possession in 2003.

The Sunday Shining singer was also convicted of assault in 2016 after headbutting a terminally ill friend in a row over Game of Thrones.