Judge Dread; Reggae Band Leader in England

Judge Dread, 53, whose fusion of smutty lyrics and a reggae beat produced a pair of top 10 singles in Britain in the 1970s. A burly, blond Englishman whose real name was Alex Hughes, Dread used Jamaican musicians in his band. He had his first British hit in 1972 with “Big Six,” which got as high as No. 11 during 27 weeks on the chart. He later had two songs in the top 10--”Big Seven” in 1972, and “Je T’aime (Moi Non Plus),” a takeoff on the heavy-breathing record by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, in 1978. On Friday in Canterbury, England, apparently of a heart attack.