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Finley Quaye threatened to stab police officer and hurled racist abuse in assault arrest

Finley Quaye poses for portraits in a house in Ladbroke Grove, London, 4th November 1998. (Photo by David Corio/Redferns)
Finley Quaye poses for portraits in a house in Ladbroke Grove, London, 4th November 1998. (Photo by David Corio/Redferns)

Singer Finley Quaye has admitted punching a bar manager in the face in an unprovoked drunken attack.

The Even After All singer - who won a Brit Award in 1998 - was arrested in London in the early hours of 8 September.

Scottish-born Quaye, 45, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday where he pled guilty to assault and his lawyer Shahnaz Sargent, stated he has, “an alcohol problem.”

Quaye had been drinking all day at the ­Troubadour on Old Brompton Road before performing there. He then asked bar manager Robert Jenei for help searching for a handbag lost by a female friend.

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Prosecutor Malachy Pakenham told the court the Your Love Gets Sweeter star became “visibly angry” when Jenei returned.

Finley Quaye performs at Elysee Montmartre on February 5, 2011 in Paris, France. (Photo by David Wolff - Patrick/WireImage)
Finley Quaye performing in Paris in 2011 (Credit: Getty Images)

He added: “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.’

Brits Awards Ceremony, London, Britain - 1998, Finley Quaye At The Brit Awards In 1998. (Photo by Brian Rasic/Getty Images)
Brits Awards Ceremony, London, Britain - 1998, Finley Quaye At The Brit Awards In 1998. (Photo by Brian Rasic/Getty Images)

“When told by the police to stop shouting and swearing, he then said, ‘You f***ing n*****.’ When told to stop again, he replied to an officer, ‘I will stab you in the kidney, I will stab you in the windpipe.’”

Sargent, defending, said “Mr Quaye accepts that he has got an alcohol problem.

“He had been drinking all day. He has performed there on several occasions and is in fact very ashamed of his behaviour.

“He accepts that he was out of order.”

Brit Award winning singer Finley Quaye played to a captive audience of inmates at Greenock Prison. Quaye gave the concert as a favour for his relative Linda Kemp who works as a health care manager at the prison.
Finley Quaye performed for inmates at Scotland's Greenock Prison as a favour for his relative Linda Kemp who worked as a health care manager at the jail in 1998 (Credit: PA)

Quaye admitted to police during questioning the following day that he had been drinking on an empty stomach and did remember punching Jenei.

A panel of magistrates ordered probation to prepare a report on Quaye - who lives in west London - before he is to be sentenced.

He was released on conditional bail to return to the same court on Monday October 14.

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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.

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