Edinburgh crime: Pop star Finlay Quaye appears at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after damaging property

The 49-year-old was expected to be sentenced but was told reports had not been prepared in time

Edinburgh-born pop star Finley Quaye will be sentenced next month after appearing in court to admit smashing property belonging to his ex-partner.

Quaye, 49, was in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday and was expected to be sentenced for acting aggressively towards former girlfriend Rena Gaza. The award winning singer forced open the front door of the woman’s flat and threw chairs and flowers before breaking a number of glasses within the home in the Capital’s Newington area.

But when the dishevelled star took to the dock, the court was told the required social work reports had not been prepared in time. Solicitor Cameron Tait, defending, apologised for the lack of report and told the court his client is “taking this seriously”.

Edinburgh pop star Finley Quaye will be sentenced next month.

Sheriff Matthew Auchincloss agreed to defer sentence for a second time to next month for the reports to be compiled. Quaye was almost unrecognisable as he left the court building wearing a grey hooded top and carrying an orange plastic carrier bag.

Quaye, from Kensington, London, was arrested following the domestic abuse incident in July this year and spent the weekend in police custody. The Sunday Shining singer then appeared from custody at the city’s sheriff court to plead guilty to two offences.

Quaye pleaded guilty to wilfully or recklessly destroying property belonging to another and did force open a door of the premises while it was locked at an address at South Clerk Street, Edinburgh. He also admitted to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards ex-partner Reka Gawa and did throw chairs, flowers and smash a number of glasses within the premiers on July 15 this year. Both offences were said to be aggravated by the abuse of a partner, or ex-partner.

The 90s pop star has a string of previous convictions including causing criminal damage following a bust up with a London bus driver in June 2020. Quaye was also spared a jail sentence when he appeared at Westminster Magistrate’s Court in 2019 after he threatened to shoot a bar manager and ‘get a grenade’ after a performing at a gig.

He admitted to punching Robert Jenei in the face, attacking a car and shouting racist abuse after playing at London’s Troubadour venue and was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation order.

Quaye was also found guilty of a charge of aggravated assault following an incident in Edinburgh in 2012. He was sentenced to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work, and later the same year the singer was declared bankrupt with a tax debt of £383,000.

Quaye's 1997 album Maverick a Strike went double platinum and he landed the MOBO Award for best reggae act the same year. He was awarded the Best British Male Solo Artist at the BRITs in 1998 and was praised for his laid-back synergy of musical styles combining styles like roots reggae and trip-hop. He also has a notable musical heritage as son of composer Cab Kaye and half-brother of Elton John's guitarist Caleb Quaye.