Charities blast Tom ruling
Serge ‘split’ agony
DOMESTIC violence charities have criticised a judge’s decision not to jail former Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan for attacking his ex.
The axed singer, 39, admitted assaulting Vikki Ager when he appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
A district judge gave Meighan an 18-month community order and told him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
But Nicki Norman, boss of Women’s Aid, said: “This was not appropriate sentencing.
“Robust sentencing is important for ensuring abusers are brought to justice and for improving survivors’ confidence in the criminal justice system – which far too often they tell us fails to protect them.”
The court heard Ms Ager how banged her head on a hamster cage after being thrown across a room.
The musician also threatened to hit her with a wooden pallet, grabbed her leg and hit her on the head.
She suffered bruises to her knees, elbow, ankle and “a reddening around her neck”.
A spokesman for the domestic abuse charity Refuge said it was concerned survivors may not have confidence if sentences for domestic violence crimes are light. Kasabian announced Meighan had left the band in a statement on Monday, claiming that their frontman was dealing with “personal issues”.
But after his conviction they revealed they demanded Meighan quit after finding out about the charges.
A statement from them read: “There is absolutely no way we can condone his assault conviction.
“Domestic violence and abuse of any kind is totally unacceptable.
“As soon as we found out about the charges made against Tom, we as a band made the decision that we could no longer work with him.”
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KASABIAN star Serge Pizzorno looks devastated after singer Tom Meighan left the band.
The guitarist, 39, was lost in thought after his bandmate quit ahead of his conviction for domestic assault.
He was spotted by a fan at Teignmouth Pier, Devon, on Monday
– the day it was revealed the frontman had left. One fan said: “It looked like he had come down there to get away from it all.”