FORMER X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos has lost her bid to have her conviction for punching a celebrity blogger at Chelmsford's V Festival overturned after a judge said she "lost control".
Judge David Radford, sitting with two magistrates, refused to accept that the singer had not punched TOWIE star Savvas Morgan after he posted a sex tape of her on his website.
But the judge said he had the "greatest sympathy" for Contostavlos and revoked the fines and compensation she had originally been ordered to pay.
Contostavlos, 26, was convicted last summer of punching Mr Morgan in the face at the August 2013 V Festival at Hylands Park as he followed her to her Winnebago for a party.
According to Mr Morgan, Contostavlos had a grudge against him since he published a link to a sex tape leaked by her ex-boyfriend rapper Justin Edwards in 2012.
But Contostavlos insisted she remained calm while Mr Morgan insulted her and made comments abouther mentally ill mother.
After a three-day hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Judge Radford said: "The appellant voiced concerns, for reasons that we understand and have some sympathy for that a person who had been a real thorn in her side, did not accompany her friends to the Winnebago where she was planning on passing the night.
"The argument that undoubtedly followed was no doubt a result of pent up feelings about Mr Morgan which were then now doubt expressed in clear terms and she told us and she accepts that she became uncharacteristically aggressive."
The judge said it was likely that she had hit Mr Morgan to the left side of his face, but said: "We've seen no evidence of any injury or of any pain caused."
Contostavlos insisted she had asked Mr Morgan "diplomatically" to stop following her 15-strong entourage as they headed towards her Winnebago.
Mr Morgan had attempted talking with former Sugababe Mutya Buena, a friend of Contostavlos, as they left the festival to turn in for the night.
Contostavlos said when Mr Morgan turned towards her Winnebago in the VIP area instead of the main exit she politely told him he was not invited.
"I was calm and relaxed until his instant reaction, which was aggressive. I didn't want to get into an argument or confrontation," she said.
Contostavlos admitted trading insults while keeping her hands behind her back throughout.
The incident, which lasted around four minutes, escalated when Contostavlos' personal assistant Gareth Varey confronted Mr Morgan.
Mr Morgan was left with a puffy eye but claimed that he had lost the photograph he had taken.
Contostavlos admitted it was out of character for her to argue, but was adamant she did not become violent.
Contostavlos, of Park Manor, New Southgate, north London, had denied assault of Mr Morgan.
The fine of £200 and £100 compensation amounts that Stratford Magistrates' Court had ordered her to pay were revoked, but she was still ordered to pay £1,500 costs and a £15 surcharge.
