Lady Leshurr: Court case has been one of the worst experiences of my life

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Rapper Lady Leshurr has said her career has been “ruined” and she did not have any income for a year before she was found not guilty of attacking her ex-girlfriend’s partner.

The 35-year-old, whose real name is Melesha O’Garro, was accused of assaulting Chante Boyea – who at the time was dating her ex-girlfriend Sidnee Hussein – just after 5am on October 22 2022, allegedly biting her hand so badly that she suffered “nerve damage”.

But a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London on Wednesday found her not guilty on two counts of occasioning actual bodily harm.

In a video on Instagram after the verdict, the musician said the court case has been “one of the worst experiences of my life”.

She added in the accompanying caption: “For the past year I’ve been battling a court case from people that accused me of stalking, harassing and biting them but I was the victim.

“I was attacked and bitten by a dog and made out to be the aggressor.

“For a whole year people have deserted me, dropped me from deals, and didn’t want to work with me any more. For a whole year I have had no income.”

She added: “My brand/career has been ruined regardless no matter the outcome, but at least I have a clean record and can FINALLY get on with my life.”

Earlier in the trial, the former Dancing On Ice contestant said Ms Boyea, a security officer, attacked her first and used her Belgian Malinois dog Toby as a “weapon” during the incident in Walthamstow, north-east London – a claim she strongly denied.

O’Garro’s co-defendant, Sherelle Smith, was also found not guilty on one count of the same charge.