Lady Sovereign has pleaded guilty to spitting in the face of a bouncer. The London-based rapper was charged with assault as well as being drunk and disorderly after a night out in Brisbane, Australia, late on Friday night.

She pleaded guilty to the two charges when she appeared before magistrates in the city. The star, real name Louise Amanda Harman, 23, struggled to stay awake during her morning appearance.

The court was told she reacted hysterically when she was thrown out of The Beat nightclub in the Fortitude Valley area of the city. She is said to have struggled with security staff.

The star, who was once the only non-American woman signed to the legendary Def Jam music label, was fined AUD$400 and ordered to pay AUD$200 compensation to the bouncer.

The magistrate said the court took the spitting offence seriously because of health implications. She is tonight performing in Brisbane at the city’s Parklife music festival. Natalie Giraldo, spokesman for the festival, said: “It’s great that she is still able to appear on stage.”