Kasabian singer Tom Meighan has spoken out for the first time since he was convicted of assaulting his partner Vikki Ager in July this year.
The 39-year-old appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to beating Vikki in their back garden on April 9 and he received 200 hours of unpaid work as well as a 18-month community order.
Tom and Vikki, who have since reconciled their relationship, told Cornwall Live how they hope to rebuild his life following the court case and reprise the former band member’s music career.
Opening up: Kasabian singer Tom Meighan has spoken out for the first time since he was convicted of assaulting his partner Vikki Ager in July this year (pictured together 2019)
Vikki has stood by Tom throughout the case and pleaded with police to drop the charges against him, however it had already been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service, who proceeded with the trial.
She maintains that the assault was a ‘one off’ and she had never seen her former fiance act in a violent way towards her before.
Tom told the publication: ‘We had too much to drink. I regret everything that happened that night – what I can remember of it. I don’t condone it – it’s horrific. I love my partner to pieces.’
‘I was at a boiling point in my life – I didn’t know where things were heading. I was drowning myself with drink because of my problems and things going on around me.
Court case: The 39-year-old appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court (pictured) and pleaded guilty to beating Vikki in their back garden on April 9 and he received 200 hours of unpaid work and an 18-month community order
‘We had a fight and I took the brunt for it. I was fully responsible for what happened but we love each other and we’re getting over it.’
Tom explained that the day of the trial felt like the ‘lowest’ point of his whole life and he tells his partner how sorry he is every day.
Vikki told the publication that she fought back during the incident, which she described as a ‘squabble’ following a heavy drinking session.
The couple explained that while it has had a profound affect on the people around them, Tom insisted that those close to him know the ‘real him’.
Back on track? Tom and Vikki, who have since reconciled their relationship, told Cornwall Live how they hope to rebuild his life following the court case and reprise the former band member’s music career (pictured with the band in 2019
Following the case Tom was asked to leave Kasabian, the band he had been with for the past 23 years and achieved worldwide success.
He has since met with Coalition Music founder Katrina Russell, who has previously worked with Oasis, Jules Bain and Lou Martin.
Tom admitted he didn’t know if Kasabian would ever get back together again in the future, while adding it must have been ‘heartbreaking’ for the other members.
Moving on: Following the case Tom was asked to leave Kasabian, the band he had been with for the past 23 years and achieved worldwide success
The band members revealed how they demanded lead singer Tom quit after he dragged Vikki by the ankles in the wine-fuelled lockdown assault.
Ahead of the singer’s court appearance, the band put out a statement on their Facebook page yesterday saying he was leaving due to ‘personal issues’ and saying they would ‘not be commenting further’.
But in a separate statement issued on the band’s Twitter page following the verdict of the trial, they said they had ‘no choice’ but to ask him to leave and branded the incident ‘totally unacceptable’.
They also accused him of ‘misleading fans’ in his statement.
Together: Vikki has stood by Tom throughout the case and pleaded with police to drop the charges against him, however it had already been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service, who proceeded with the trial (pictured together in 2019)
The statement said: ‘We have all worked so hard for the past 23 years and had big plans for our future together.
‘We’re completely heartbroken. But we were left with no choice but to ask Tom to leave the band.
‘There is absolutely no way we can condone his assault conviction.’
The band said they had decided they ‘could no longer work with him’ as soon as they found out about the charges.
‘Unfortunately we had to hold back this information until he was found guilty in court.’
They said they were “led to believe that Tom would hold his hands up and in his statement tell everyone what he’d done but he chose not to, misleading a lot of fans”.
The statement added: ‘Ultimately, as much as Tom has hurt us all, we’re not the victim in all of this.
‘Domestic violence is something that can never be excused.’
It comes as a court today heard Meighan ‘smelt heavily of intoxicants’ as he dragged victim Ms Agar across a canopy, threw her against a hamster cage and put his hands around her neck.
He also hit her in the face and threatened to strike her with a wooden pallet.