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James Argent, known for his role in 'The Only Way Is Essex', has been ordered to pay the paltry sum £250 in compensation to his ex-girlfriend, Nicoline Artursson, after a domestic incident at their Spanish home in Fuengirola.

 

The 37-year-old reality TV personality received a six-month suspended prison sentence and a two-year restraining order after admitting to 'mistreatment' during a court appearance in Fuengirola. The incident involved Argent pushing Artursson down a flight of steps during an argument, resulting in various injuries.

 

Court documents detail that Artursson's injuries included "several bruises to her neck, a bruise to her right forearm, several abrasions to her right arm, and abrasions to her right hand and on her right leg." Her injuries reportedly healed within a week. Initially, prosecutors sought a more serious charge of wounding, but a plea deal led to the lesser charge of mistreatment.

 

Despite Argent's reported earnings of £5,000 per week, the compensation amount was limited to £250. A Spanish legal source explained that compensation figures are determined based on medical expenses and proven losses, stating, "The courts in Spain can't pull cash compensation figures out of the air. They have to follow strict guidelines that revolve around medical bills victims can show they’ve had to pay or proven losses they’ve had because of time off work."

 

Another Spanish source described the fine as "a drop in the ocean". They added: "If he's got all that money it's no wonder he's all smiles on stage."

 

As part of his sentence, Argent is also required to complete a 10-week domestic violence rehabilitation course. Failure to attend could result in imprisonment.

 

Following the court proceedings, Argent returned to Spain and was seen performing at a local venue near the location of the incident. His public statement expressed devastation over the events but did not include a direct apology to Artursson.

 

Argent's hopes of obtaining a longer-term visa in Spain are also now in doubt as the conviction may well impact his plans to obtain a permanent visa, potentially hindering his ability to work beyond the standard 90-day period.