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British rapper Pa Saliu has been sentenced to 33 months in prison on charges of violent disorder and possession of a bottle as an offensive weapon in connection with his participation in a 2018 mass fight outside a bar in his hometown of Coventry.
Saliu, real name Pa Saliu Gaye, was one of a group of nine men accused of stalking and cornering the 23-year-old man, nicknamed “Bobby”. The fight allegedly broke out after the 21-year-old was stabbed to death by Saliu’s friend Fidel Glasgow, the grandson of Special singer Neville Staple. West Midlands Police are still investigating the murder.
In March, Saliu was acquitted of engaging in violent disorder during the brawl but convicted of possessing a bottle as an offensive weapon, and he previously pleaded guilty to a second count of violent disorder relating to an assault on a man shortly after the brawl. In 2015, Saliu received a suspended sentence for possessing a knife.
CCTV footage of “Bobby” running away and being chased by the group was shown at Warwick Crown Court. The prosecutor claimed that Saliu threw the bottle he picked up at “Bobby”; Once they caught him, Saliu used a tree branch to hit him four times on the head, and kicked his body, Birmingham Live reports.
“Bobby” spent 10 days in hospital as a result, during what the prosecution described as “immediate, extensive surgery”, and has since recovered. Saliu told the court he broke the bottle to defend himself, claiming the man was armed. Judge Peter Cook dismissed Saliu’s claim.
The rapper’s lawyer, Jonathan Woodcock, asked for a suspended sentence, saying there was a “real possibility of rehabilitation”.
Seliu is signed to Warner Records. He released his debut mixtape, Send Them to Coventry, in November 2020 and was named the winner of the BBC’s annual Sound of … 2021 poll, which gives up-and-coming artists tips for future success.
In August 2022, he was blocked from performing at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games because he “failed a background check”, according to his post on Instagram at the time. Saliu said he has already had to “cancel 90% of my shows this year” because the Home Office will not process the paperwork required for his overseas tour until the court case is over.
He continued: “I have fully cooperated in this process. Appeared in court on time every day. I am constantly trying to use my career to show people where I am from that there is another life for us. One away from the roads. But what can you do if the police, justice system and Home Office don’t care about you and do everything possible to stop you trying to get on with your life?
Sentencing Saliu, the judge said: “You helped Bobby run to the ground and set him up.”
He continued: “You are a young man who has already had an impact on your career as a result of this action, but I see it as a career that has flourished nonetheless.”
He sympathized with Saliu’s loss of a friend, and admired how he used his fame to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“Those are factors that speak well of you and should be weighed in your favor,” the judge said. “I want you to focus on getting your life back on track and making the most of your talents, which I’m confident you can do.”
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