Elvis impersonator assaulted his ex

A Coatbridge Elvis impersonator narrowly avoided the jailhouse after assaulting his partner and hitting a police officer on the face with a lit cigarette.

Dean Allsopp was an internet hit during lockdown 2020 after dressing up as the King to serenade neighbours from his balcony.

But just weeks later he was arrested and charged after a domestic incident.

Allsopp, 49, who describes himself as“the UK’S number one Elvis tribute,”was handed a community payback order at Airdrie Sheriff Court.

He admitted assaulting a woman to her injury at his home in Dryburgh Place, Coatbridge, on June 7, 2020. The court heard he shoved her to the floor, placed his knee on her neck and put a towel over her face.

The Crown accepted Allsopp had assaulted his victim“under provocation”.

Allegations that he threatened her with a knife, punched and kicked her, restricted her breathing and spat on her were dropped.

Allsopp also admitted assaulting a male police constable the following day by hitting him on the face with a lit cigarette.

Fortunately, the officer avoided serious injury.

Allsopp further admitted breaching bail conditions by contacting his partner repeatedly after assaulting her.

Defence agent Luke O’curry stressed that his client had been provoked by the woman, but acknowledged his actions“fell short of self-defence”.

The lawyer added:“he has moved on from this relationship and has been with another lady for five months.

“There have been no issues with her and there has been no further contact with the complainer.

“He is now in full-time employment as a gatehouse keeper.”

Referring to the assault on the police officer, Mr O’curry said it happened as Allsopp was being handcuffed and was holding a cigarette.

Sheriff Petra Collins said:“it was no accident. It was an assault.”

The solicitor replied:“absolutely. He recognises that it’s unacceptable conduct.”

Sheriff Collins ordered Allsopp to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work, telling him:“this is a direct alternative to custody.

“If you breach the order you can expect to go to jail.”

The sheriff also imposed a one-year non-harassment order, banning Allsopp from conduct that would cause his victim“alarm or distress”.

Allsopp, who moved to Scotland from the Isle of Wight in 2019, was once a contestant on TV’S X Factor.

The video of his Elvis routine during lockdown in March 2020 was viewed more than 350,000 times.

At the time he said:“i have done gigs in Las Vegas and on cruise ships, but I’ve never seen so many faces light up like that.

“I only did it to make people smile and it went crazy.”