BUSTA RHYMES - BUSTA RHYMES RELEASED FROM CUSTODY

BUSTA RHYMES RELEASED FROM CUSTODY

Rap star Busta Rhymes has been released from custody after earlier being detained at London City Airport.

The 36-year-old, real name Trevor Smith, landed at around 07:30 BST on Thursday morning, ahead of the planned Orange RockCorps charity concert on Friday.

However, he was detained due to "unresolved convictions" in the US, according to reports.

It is believed immigration officials tried to have the rapper put on a flight to Amsterdam, only for his legal team to intervene.

And now, a judge has ordered Rhymes be released immediately after spending the last 11 hours in custody.

"His lawyer, Philip Trott, intervened and presented papers in support of Busta's case for entry," a statement explained.

"The immigration authorities repeated he was to be denied entry and made arrangements to fly him back to Amsterdam on a flight at 09:30 BST.

"Contact was made with the duty High Court judge, Mr Justice Flaux, who granted an injunction at 08:58 BST to prevent Busta being returned to Amsterdam."

RockCorps co-founder Stephen Greene said he was "shocked at this sequence of events and this treatment of Busta".

"He has the necessary work permit and has been in the country twice already this year, so we're a little puzzled that a question mark is now being placed over his ability to enter the country to perform to volunteers," Greene added.

Rhymes was arrested on drink driving charges in New York in May last year, days before he was due to stand trial for assault.

However, he escaped a jail sentence after pleading guilty to the charges in January, being handed three years of probation as well as as community service and a $1,250 (£638) fine.

"I just want to say that I'm very grateful to the judge, and I'm very grateful to the system," Rhymes said after the Manhattan trial.

"I believe in the system."