A petrol station brawl had threatened to land N-Dubz’ star Dappy in jail for three months, but the controversial singer/rapper escaped jail, breaking into tears and shouting “yes” when he learnt his fate, The Guardian reports.

He was handed a six-month sentence suspended for 18 months at Guildford crown court for assault and affray and ordered to do 150 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay £4,500 compensation and £2,000 in costs. £6.5k and 150 hours of community service is tough, but nowhere near as tough as it could have been; the maximum sentence for his charge was a three year prison sentence. The trouble started at a Shell garage on Woodbridge Road, Guildford, at about 3.30am on 28 February, 2012. Dappy, allegedly, according to the prosecutor, approached Grace Cochran and Serena Burton trying to convince them to get in his car. When they refused, Dappy got angry and fought a man who stepped in to diffuse the situation.

Mr. Dappy – famous for his outspoken nature and hats - has endured plenty of run ins with the law.In November 2005, he was given a community order for possessing a bladed weapon in a public place. In September 2007, he was given 40 hours of community service for battery when he pushed a taxi driver. And in December 2008, he was given a four-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay compensation for two battery offences which related to him spitting at two women.