Tom Daley’s husband Dustin Lance Black ‘very grateful’ after assault case dismissed

Dustin Lance Black, the husband of Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley, has said he’s “very grateful” after assault case against him was dismissed mid-trial. 

The Oscar-winning screenwriter faced allegations that he intentionally spilled a drink on Teddy Edwardes at Freedom nightclub in Soho, London in August 2022. 

He was also alleged to have twisted the presenter’s wrist “very hard”. 

Edwardes, who appears as a party planner on BBC Three’s Big Proud Party Agency, had already received a police caution for punching Black in back of the head during the incident.

At Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (8 November), District Judge Louisa Ciecora, dismissed the charge against Black, citing inconsistencies in Edwardes’ evidence. 

Ciecora told the court: “(Edwardes) said in her evidence at one point that she could not remember a wrist grab.

“She then said that she was sure that it did happen – and that was an obvious contradiction.”

A submission given by Helena Duong, in defence, said the prosecution had failed to prove that Black grabbed Ms Edwardes’ wrist and that he grabbed Ms Edwardes’ drink and spilled it on the floor. Duong also said itt was the presenter who had shown aggression. 

Following the dismissal of the case, Black and Daley will not need to take the stand. 

Black, who won an Oscar for best original screenplay for 2008’s Harvey Milk biopic Milk, described the dismissal of the case as a “moment of exoneration” in a statement to press after the hearing,

He said, as reported by the BBC: “This case has flown in the face of everything that I am.

“I am very grateful to the judge for exonerating me.”

Black wed Daley in 2017 and the couple are parents to five-year-old son Robbie and another son, who was born in March this year.