Wiley is wanted by the Metropolitan Police six months after failing to turn up for a court hearing where he was due to face charges of burglary and assault.
The grime artist, whose real name is Richard Kylea Cowie Jr, is accused of breaking into a flat in Forest Gate in east London and assaulting ex-kickboxer Ali Jacko. He has not publicly responded to the alleged crimes that he’s been charged with.
Wiley, 43, was due before Snaresbrook Crown Court on November 11, 2021. He’s accused of breaking into the flat on August 28, 2021 before allegedly smashing plates and attacking Jacko. The rapper had been using Jacko’s recording studio before the COVID pandemic.
A fresh wanted appeal for the MBE-awarded musician was issued by the Met Police on Twitter earlier this week (May 10).
WANTED: Can you help? We would like to speak with Richard Cowie for failing to appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court. pic.twitter.com/242BUUNJQW
— Newham MPS | North East BCU (@MPSNewham) May 10, 2022
In the appeal the police said that Wiley’s last known location was in Tower Hamlets, east London, and that he “frequents” Tower Hamlets and nearby Newham.
Wiley was also due before Thames Magistrates’ Court last September, but failed to appear [via BBC News]. The district judge issued a warrant to arrest and bring Cowie Jr. to court.
That hearing was due to take place after he was initially granted an adjournment earlier that month to allow him more time to apply for legal aid and speak to his lawyers.
Wiley, who is known as the ‘Godfather of Grime’, was awarded an MBE for his services to music in 2018.
In December, footage emerged that appeared to show Wiley going on an antisemitic tirade. The clip was first posted by Campaign Against Antisemitism, which claims that the London rapper recorded the message in the days prior to his attack against the charity.
Presumably making reference to the Holocaust, Wiley said: “Why… why did that happen between them and Hitler? Why?”
He added: “Why did Hitler hate you? For nothing? Why did Hitler hate you? Exactly.”
CAA shared the video on social media on December 6 along with the caption: “A reminder of what Wiley thinks about Jews.”
In 2020 Wiley faced backlash after making anti-Semitic comments that led to his eventual suspension from social media sites.
He later publicly apologised for the comments in an interview with Sky News, claiming that he was “not racist”.
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