The Only Way Is Essex star Michael Hassini kicked out at a woman detention officer while in custody for drink-driving, a court has heard.
The 22-year-old appeared at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court facing a charge of assault by beating, which he denies.
The reality star allegedly kicked out at a detention officer during a routine welfare check while in custody at Charing Cross police station.
Mike, from the Pilgrims Hatch area of Brentwood, Essex, was arrested at 3.50am on August 15 and at 5.01am gave a breath test, which was recorded at 92 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath – more than double the drink-drive limit of 35 micrograms per 100ml.
Disgraceful.
He was placed in a cell where custody staff were required to check on him every 30 minutes.
A custody form recorded the star as having “glazed eyes” and being “slightly drowsy”.
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Two detention officers, who entered the cell shortly after 7am, told the court Hassini swung at them and kicked the woman officer, resulting in bruising.
Nick Barraclough, defending, suggested Hassini was asleep throughout the welfare check and the kick was made while he was in a “stupor”.
Giving evidence, Hassini said he could not remember being roused by the detention officers. CCTV played to the court showed a blue blanket thrown into the corridor at the time of the alleged incident.
Mike said: “I can remember waking up without my blanket and pressing the buzzer in the corner and asking where my blanket had gone.
“I have zero recollection of any of the events until I woke up without my blanket.”
Mike said he had been suspended from his role on TOWIE, which he described as “exaggerated reality”.
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Explaining the show to the judge, he said: “Obviously, it’s not a scripted programme. We are able to say exactly what we like.
“Scenarios are created, we may have confrontations with certain individuals… They set the meetings up and we will, through our own free will, speak.”
In an interview with police following the incident, he expressed shock at the allegations.
He told officers: “I absolutely have no recollection of that. For me to kick out would be violent and very out of character.
“I’ve never been aggressive, never been anywhere near a fight. It’s just not something in me to do nothing like that.”
The court heard Hassini, who grew up and went to school in Essex, had previous convictions for driving without due care and attention and failing to stop to report an accident.