Chillinit: Blake Turnell in court charged with resisting police

A Sydney rapper has fought in court to save his upcoming tour after an encounter with police at a Sydney shopping centre saw him charged with multiple offences.

A Sydney rapper accused of resisting police and breaching Covid rules while Christmas shopping with his mother has narrowly saved his national tour with weeks to spare.

Blake Turnell – known to his fans as Chillinit – was charged with resisting and hindering police, providing false or misleading information, offensive language, not wearing a mask and prohibited drug possession after a clash with police at Westfield Hurstville.

Blake Turnell during his arrest.

Turnell’s mother filmed the video.

Police will allege the 27-year-old rapper was approached due to not wearing a mask inside the shopping centre, before he allegedly provided a false name and birthdate as a joke, then swore at the officer.

Video recorded by Turnell’s mother and posted to his Instagram shows the moment he was subsequently taken to the ground and restrained while he was already handcuffed.

Through his solicitor, high profile criminal lawyer Ahmed Dib, Turnell has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Rapper Chillinit (right) with lawyer Ahmed Dib (left) outside Sutherland Local Court.

Police ordered Turnell to report on bail four times a week, jeopardising the Aria-charting rapper’s upcoming tour for his latest record Family Ties.

Chillinit is set to perform shows in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth in January and February next year.

Mr Dib made an application to vary Turnell’s bail at Sutherland Local Court before Magistrate Philip Stewart on December 14, asking the reporting and residence conditions to be removed so Turnell can travel interstate as required.

“There are 11 shows already booked,” Mr Dib told the court, after a registrar was informed the potential loss in cancelling the tour could reach $1 million.

Rapper Chillinit (right) with lawyer Ahmed Dib (left) outside Sutherland Local Court.

After hearing Turnell is not on bail for prior charges of resisting police and possessing cocaine – which he will defend at a hearing in 2022 – and has no history of failing to appear at court, Mr Stewart granted the bail variation.

“He’s working in the music industry, if he doesn’t show up for court, he can expect a warrant,” Mr Stewart said.

Mr Stewart noted much of the alleged offending was captured on police bodyworn cameras.

“It seems there’s a question about (his) identity, and he tells them he’s taking the p*** out of them,” Mr Stewart said after reading a police document of allegations.

Turnell’s matter returns to court for reply on January 25.