Former cloud rap artist sentenced for sexual assault on teenager
Josef Dorrell, a 37-year-old former member of the London-based cloud rap collective Piff Gang, has received a suspended sentence after sexually assaulting a 15-year-old schoolgirl in North London. The incident occurred in July 2025 when Dorrell, who was under the influence of drugs, approached the vulnerable teenager in Dalston.
Predatory behaviour breaches court order
Dorrell, who performs under the stage name Rellavelli, was already subject to a sexual harm prevention order following a 2022 conviction for sexual communication with a child. The court heard how he flagrantly violated this order when he targeted the young girl as she walked to school alone one morning.
Prosecutor Henriette Kaeger detailed how Dorrell approached the teenager from behind, demanding her phone number and commenting on her appearance. "He told her she was 'hot' and persisted with conversation despite her attempts to disengage," Ms Kaeger told Wood Green Crown Court.
Assault occurs during morning school run
The court heard how Dorrell invited the girl to his address under the pretence of cooking dinner for her and her friends. When she tried to walk away, he physically blocked her path and forced her into an embrace.
"She gave him a hug out of fear," Ms Kaeger explained. "She tried to pull away from the defendant, but he was holding her tight, stroking her back and her hair."
The traumatised teenager eventually escaped and reported the incident to her teacher, who immediately contacted the police. Officers located and arrested Dorrell shortly afterwards.
Musician's defence cites drug influence
Defence counsel Chloe Carvel attributed Dorrell's behaviour to his consumption of GHB, a powerful sedative sometimes used as a date rape drug. She told the court he had taken the substance at a house party where he was "dressed as a girl" before the assault occurred.
"There was a lack of social awareness while under the influence of the drug," Ms Carvel argued, adding that Dorrell had complimented the victim on her makeup during the encounter.
Previous musical career and current sentencing
Dorrell was part of Piff Gang during the early 2010s when the group achieved brief notoriety for their "torpid, hazy, woozy" sound, as described by The Guardian. The collective, named after a potent strain of cannabis, once shared a stage with American rapper A$AP Rocky at a Camden venue in 2012.
Before his arrest, Dorrell worked as a tour manager in the music industry and had ambitions to launch a non-alcoholic cocktail business. His defence also highlighted his diagnosis with a serious sexually transmitted illness and noted he had already served six months on remand.
Judge delivers suspended sentence
Recorder Philip Brook Smith KC suspended Dorrell's two-year sentence for two years while imposing a tagged curfew from 9pm to 7am. The judge emphasised the vulnerability of the victim and the seriousness of breaching the previous court order.
"You approached a young girl who was late for school," Recorder Smith told Dorrell. "She was obviously concerned by your presence. This was a contact offence with a young girl. Her parents and guardians were unaware of your history."
The judge concluded that Dorrell's victim was "vulnerable due to her age, and because she was only on her way to school" when the assault occurred.
