N-Dubz front man Dappy spat in girl's face

Chart-topping rapper Dappy has a secret assault conviction for spitting in a girl's face during a drunken brawl, it was revealed today.

The N-Dubz front man, 22, has kept quiet about his fight with two women, which happened at a hostel after a boozy night out.

Rap sheet: Costas Contostavlos got a suspended jail sentence

Dappy, real name Costas Contostavlos, had been drinking with a female fan and was asked back to her temporary accommodation in Chelmsford, Essex.

After heated words with the two women at the hostel, one spat in his face and the platinum-selling artist, who scored a summer hit with Tinchy Stryder, responded by doing the same.

They called the police and brought charges against the rapper, which were heard at Chelmsford magistrates court in December.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and received four weeks' in jail, suspended for 12 months, and 100 hours community service, to run concurrently, plus £50 compensation and £300 costs.

News of his conviction comes just days after Dappy, who claims to promote "positivity", was revealed to have recorded a music video glorifying gun crime two years before he joined N-Dubz. The track, called Babylon Fi Get Shot, was recorded with a fellow rapper called Face Killa and featured references to extreme violence. The title means roughly: "Police to get shot".

But Dappy has distanced himself from the track, saying it is something he regrets. He said: "I was young and dumb, and I've grown up a lot since then. I'm an adult now and turned my back on those views a long time ago as they are wrong.

Doing the job I do now has made me realise you don't have to hate the police and be negative about them. N-Dubz are all about positivity."