Scottish pop star Finley Quaye headbutts terminally ill friend over Game of Thrones

(Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Redferns)

Here’s an odd story. Finley Quaye is a reggae and pop musician from Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1997, he won the Mobo Award for best reggae act, and in 1998 picked up the BRIT Award for Best Male Solo Artist. Now, he’s been convicted for assault after headbutting longtime friend Julian Ashley in part because of Game of Thrones, according to The Telegraph. Said prosecutor Alexa Morgan:

"The victim has known the defendant for 30 years and is suffering from terminal cancer. He is frail and needs a mobility scooter and assistance at home. He was watching television when the defendant came to the door and after letting him in continued watching.  The defendant took exception to that and said: ‘Aren’t I more important than Game of Thrones?’ He became abusive and lost his temper and Mr Ashley decided to escort him from the flat. Without warning he head-butted Mr Ashley, causing a split to his nose and extensive bruising."

Samira Noor-Khan, the defense attorney, argued that Quaye had been under stress because of financial difficulties. “He expresses a great deal of remorse for that head-butt,” Noor-Khan said. “It was a single head-butt and not a sustained or repeated assault. It was an impulsive action.” In any case, the court ordered Quaye to perform 250 hours of community service and pay £620 in costs, plus an £85 victim surcharge.

So it sounds like there was more going on here than just strong opinions about Game of Thrones. Still, I wonder if it would have gone down quite that way if Ashley had been watching Gilmore Girls.