'Major Pop Star' Arrested for Allegedly Assaulting Girlfriend

A London-born chart-topping pop star has been arrested following an alleged domestic violence incident involving their girlfriend. According to The Sun, which first reported on the incident, the musician was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of common assault, though he has since been bailed out of the South London police station he was being held in.

The incident reportedly occurred at the unnamed victim's flat on the evening of Tuesday, June 8. The musician, who could not be named for legal reasons, and the victim reportedly got into an argument, during which the accused is said to have "attacked" her. Police were called to the scene by neighbors who heard screaming from the flat, and when officers arrived, they were able to defuse the situation. The outlet reports that officers spoke to both the award-winning musician — who has reportedly had multiple No.1 hits throughout his two-decade-long career and has also regularly appeared on TV — as well as the victim, who sustained minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment.

"Apparently, he had a row with a girlfriend that ended up getting out of hand. There was a lot of screaming and one of the woman's neighbors called the police," one local source told The Sun. "They turned up, nicked him and led him away."

The Met Police confirmed they responded to a disturbance call at the address at 6:03 p.m. on June 8 and "officers attended and a woman reported minor injuries. Inquiries are ongoing." The pop star was arrested on suspicion of common assault and taken to a South London police station, where fingerprints, photos, and a DNA swab were taken. The musician was later released on bail, and police are said to be taking statements from potential witnesses.

The accused was not named due to criminal anonymity laws. The U.K. website Each Other notes that "anonymity in legal proceedings is where the press and/or the public are not permitted to name certain individuals." Such anonymity can happen in all types of legal proceedings. While the general rule is that children defendants appearing before a youth court cannot be named by the press, the press is typically permitted to name adult defendants. However, under section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, a judge can grant an adult defendant anonymity where that appears "necessary," such as instances in which an alleged offender's safety could be compromised if they were named.