Sinitta 'punched by reality TV star Dawn Ward during row at London sushi restaurant'

Sinitta outside court
PA
Mark Chandler4 February 2016
WEST END FINAL

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Real Housewives Of Cheshire star Dawn Ward punched eighties pop singer Sinitta during a heated row at an upmarket London sushi restaurant, a court heard today.

Ward, 42, is alleged to have clashed with Sinitta Malone, a close friend of Simon Cowell, at the Salmontini le Resto restaurant in Belgravia on April 1 last year.

Ms Malone is said to have arranged the meeting to talk about rumours that had been circulating following a separate incident at a salon the month before.

Prosecutor Christian Wheeliker told Westminster Magistrates' Court: "The Crown's case is that Ms Malone and Ms Ward, and others, met to discuss rumours that had been circulating between the group.

"Ms Malone and Ms Ward argued and during that argument Ms Ward made physical contact with Ms Malone."

He added that the contact was in the shoulder or face, and that Ward, who lives in Cheshire and is married to footballer Ashley Ward, threatened to "glass" the entertainer.

Ms Malone told the court: "She was angry about what I was saying and she has just, you know, gotten angry, and jumped up and sort of shoved me.

"First of all she shoved me in my chest. The second time was like sort of hitting me in the face.

"At the same time I was quite shocked because I didn't really know what had happened, because I didn't really expect it to happen at all."

The entertainer said she had arranged the meeting in the hope of sitting down and clearing the air, but as she began to explain what had happened Ward became aggressive.

She said: "She was telling me to shut my effing mouth, and all these kinds of things.

"At one point she threatened to put the glass in my face.”

Lisa Judge, defending Ward, put it to Ms Malone that she only made her complaint to police after she was threatened with legal action following a tweet she posted on April 23 about the alleged scrap.

Asked why she posted the message, Ms Malone replied: "Because I thought it was my right to tweet it, to complain about the way I had been treated that day.

"Similarly, I tweet if I have had good day or a bad day."

Ward denies one count of common assault.

The trial continues.

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