James ‘Arg’ Argent, the ex-TOWIE celebrity, was arrested for allegedly attacking his girlfriend Nicoline Artursson during a Spanish getaway. The 37 year old reality star was taken into custody by the Spanish Civil Guard in Costa del Sol on Sunday, May 5.

Eyewitnesses at the scene described to the Mirror how they “heard an aggressive man yelling” and saw him “throwing objects from the terrace of a nearby house”. Argent has confessed to “mistreating” Nicoline at the Court of Violence Against Women in Fuengirola, as reported by The Sun.

The Sun’s report indicates that Argent has been handed a suspended prison sentence and is required to complete a “resocialisation course in the field of gender violence.”

Additionally, he has been slapped with a restraining order, barring him from any contact with Ms Artursson.

The Guardia Civil confirmed the arrest to the Mirror today, stating: “We can confirm Mr Argent was arrested by ‘Policia Local’ of Mijas for an alleged crime of domestic violence on 5th May.”

An eyewitness recounted to the Mirror their shock at the altercation, saying: “We were frightened by his shouts,” and expressing disbelief at the unfolding events. They further noted that Nicoline seemed “appeared to be physically and emotionally devastated.”

It is understood by the Mirror that Nicoline’s mother rushed to the scene to support her daughter, and both were escorted to a hospital by the police.

A friend of Argent disclosed to The Sun that the former TOWIE personality feels regretful about the incident but maintains that he never intended to cause harm.

Argent first gained prominence as an original cast member of The Only Way Is Essex, featuring on the ITV series from 2010 to 2018. Over time, the 37 year old singer has participated in various reality TV shows, including Celebrity Super Spa, The Jump, Sugar Free Farm and Celebs Go Dating.

In October 2014, TOWIE suspended Argent from filming due to a failed drug test. He subsequently entered rehab before making a comeback on the show.

The reality TV star has frequently been admitted to treatment centres owing to his struggles with drug addiction.

In a 2023 interview, Argent confessed: “I battled with [drug addiction] for a number of years. But I’ve got through it and I’m doing alright. I’m doing well. I’m clean, sober, and I have been for a long time now.”

Argent, who also earns a living as a wedding singer, underwent a sleeve gastrectomy procedure in April 2021 when his weight hit 27 stone.

Two years post-surgery, he shared with GB News: “I had a bad relationship with food. I would either do no exercise at all and binge eat or I would starve myself and train three times a day,”.

He continued: “I was either morbidly obese or slim. I was constantly yo-yo ing.I now have a great relationship with food and with exercise and I have got the balance right. I am proud of what I have achieved.”

The Express has reached out to representatives for James Argent for comment on this story.

For confidential support, ring the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk. If you or your family have suffered the loss of a friend or family member due to fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can provide specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more information, visit www.aafda.org.uk.