Balls condemns N-Dubz star's texts

Schools Secretary Ed Balls condemns N-Dubz rapper Dappy over threatening texts
12 April 2012

Schools Secretary Ed Balls has condemned chart star Dappy from N-Dubz for sending threatening messages to a young mother - just weeks after fronting a national anti-bullying campaign.

The rapper sent abusive comments - including one which said "your gonna die" - to a Radio 1 listener earlier this week after she called him "vile" in a text to the station.

But just two months ago his group joined Mr Balls to launch a Government campaign against "cyber-bullying" with charity Beatbullying.

Beatbullying said it had "no further plans" to work with N-Dubz, saying Dappy`s behaviour was "not becoming of an ambassador to young people".

The group created a ringtone for the campaign - aimed at users of social networking sites - in which Dappy raps "What's the point of trying to make someone cry?" and helped to launch a campaign anthem called RU Cyber Safe.

His text messages to Chloe Moody, 22, were condemned by the charity, while the Schools Secretary described them as "completely unacceptable". He said: "This text message was completely unacceptable and it is right that he has not only apologised, but accepted there was no excuse for his behaviour.

"Every form of bullying must be stamped out, whether it's in the school playground, on the internet or via text message. I know that many artists work with Beatbullying because they genuinely want to use their influence with young people to campaign against bullying. But that starts with ensuring their own behaviour sets the right example."

The 22-year-old chart star - real name Costas Dinos Contostavlos - apologised for the messages and calls he made to Moody. Dappy apparently took down her number from the studio, without the studio team's knowledge, after Moody sent a text to Chris Moyles's breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 on Tuesday. He then contacted Moody using a string of expletives, sending messages which said "Your gonna die" and threatening to "never" leave her alone unless she apologised.

Dappy called Moody - who lives with her three-year-old daughter in Boston, Lincs - but she did not pick up. Instead she texted to ask who was calling. Moody told The Sun: "It's terrifying when anybody sends you a death threat, whether it's real or not. Somebody of a fragile mind and nervous would be worrying what they were going to do."

He later apologised and said: "I sent the messages to her in the heat of the moment when I was angry, but that is no excuse for my behaviour. I'm genuinely sorry."

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