Boy George Sentenced To 15 Months In Prison

LONDON — Singer Boy George was sentenced to 15 months in jail on Friday after being convicted of falsely imprisoning a male escort by handcuffing him to a wall in a London apartment.

British Judge David Radford said the 47-year-old former Culture Club frontman, whose real name is George O'Dowd, was guilty of "gratuitous violence."

O'Dowd's lawyer said his client and the escort had both behaved like "drug-crazed idiots" and that O'Dowd's substance abuse problems were a contributing factor.

In 2006, Boy George _ whose pop band's hits included "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" and "Karma Chameleon" _ did community service with New York City's Department of Sanitation after he called police with a false report of a burglary at his lower Manhattan apartment and officers found cocaine there.

Friday's sentencing occurred at Snaresbrook Crown Court in East London, where O'Dowd had been warned by the judge to expect a jail sentence.

The singer had been convicted in December of handcuffing Norwegian escort Audun Carlsen to a wall hook at his East London apartment. During the trial, prosecutors said Carlsen was held by O'Dowd for under an hour.

The singer denied the charge, saying he had restrained Carlsen with handcuffs while trying to figure out if a computer had been tampered with. Carlsen, 29, said O'Dowd swung at him with a metal chain as he ran from the apartment after a naked photo shoot.

Photos of Carlsen's injuries _ which he said had been inflicted by O'Dowd _ were shown to the jury, but the singer denied he was responsible.

Speaking to Judge Radford on Friday, O'Dowd's lawyer, Adrian Waterman, said: "This defendant is a kind and generous man who is particularly mindful of others' needs. He is the antithesis of the haughty bullying star. He was not himself when addled by the habitual and relatively long-lasting using of illegal drugs."

During Culture Club's heyday in the 1980s, Boy George was famous for his flamboyant makeup and outfits.

Comments

[AsISaid]

What a sorry, sorry piece of work

[prog]

One of the most talented singers of his generation, even if I thought his material was kind of vacuous. It's too bad he's so out of control.

[AsISaid]

Get real!

[plan9]

John Waters, I believe I've found your replacement for Divine.

[Jenn73]

Cha Cha heels!! yes he is a Divine look-a-like.....lol

[javaman]

he's looking more and more like bea arther every day.

[barbwiregrrl]

I am just amazed at how rude and how h0mophobic people are when sitting behind their little old computers. Really wonder what you folks do in "real life" if you have one?

Seriously some of the most horrendous comments are coming from people who probably have no lifes and no business of their own. I am no fan of Boy George never was but I am just amazed at how rude people are.

[KarateKid]

George, Big Ruben is waiting for you.

[starrianna]

He is looking, unfortunately, more and more like
IMELDA MARCOS (!)
each day...

...the poor thing! I would be bitchy too!

[Mort]

They don't allow mumus and big hats in jail. What's a boy to do?!

[Juliane]

If he went bungee jumping he'd go straight to h. ell

[kirbykirby]

"Do you really want to hurt me..." um, yeah.

[FZliveson]

Gee, I guess this means Boy George won't be sitting next to Tiger Woods at the inauguration.

[JScott]

Wow that pic makes it him look like an old woman in a hat.

[AsISaid]

Apt

[RandellG]

Never would i have thought while having to tolerate this "artist" and the drama that came with him back in the early 80's that all these years later people would still be clinging to this petri dish of bullshit.

Enough already.

[CostaDelBarto]

Karma for the chameleon.

[truthyguy]

The guy has been given every break possible and he still manages to screw up. The sick SOB is simply not worth anyone's time and should go to jail. Maybe then he will learn he can't do whatever he wants when he wants.

[kaukerc]

He was once a great singer. I saw him in Atlanta when Culture Club was at its height, a great concert. I hope he can pull his life together, get off the drugs, and get back in the recording studio. He still has an amazing voice.

[AsISaid]

It's all that gargling