Kasabian singer fails in bid to withhold address from court after PA reporter’s challenge

Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan failed in a bid to withhold his address from the public as he admitted to assaulting his former fiancée in court.

PA’s East Midlands reporter Josh Payne blocked the bid from Meighan’s lawyer at Leicester Magistrates’ Court where Meighan was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work for the offence.

Michelle Heeley QC, defending, made an application to the court for Meighan’s address to be withheld from the public – quoting “high-profile cases such as Caroline Flack who committed suicide in similar circumstances”.

The district judge dismissed the application after Payne made submissions that a section 11 order banning the publication of a defendant’s address was “not enacted for the comfort and feelings of defendants”.

Heeley told the court Meighan “offers his sincere apologies to the people he has let down and he has sought to address his offending behaviour”.

The court was told 39-year-old Meighan, of Narborough, assaulted his former fiancée Vikki Ager on 9 April, leaving her with bruising to her knees, left elbow, outer ankle and big toe as well as a reddening around the neck.

Prosecutor Naeem Valli told the court the offence “could be argued to be relatively serious” – describing it as a “sustained assault”.

Meighan quit Kasabian on Monday, with the band releasing a statement saying he was dealing with “personal issues” and wanted to concentrate on “getting his life back on track”.

Picture: Jacob King/PA Wire

Topics in this article : PA Media