Singer's trial date is set
THE 80s star Boy George admitted he did “imprison” a male escort - but will claim he had a “lawful excuse”, a court heard today.
The singer is accused of chaining 28-year-old Norwegian Audan Carlsen to a wall with home made hand cuffs at his east London flat in Shoreditch.
But his defence team say he will claim he had a “lawful excuse” which is yet to be disclosed.
George, 46, appearing under his real name George O’Dowd, was ordered to stand trial for false imprisonment after denying the charge when he appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court today.
He spoke quietly to confirm his name and plead “not guilty” to a charge alleging that he “assaulted and unlawfully and injuriously imprisoned and detained Audun Carlsen against his will” on April 28 last year.
The portly popstar turned DJ, dressed all in black and sporting strange red and green tattoos on his bald head, sat in the dock nervously chewing his lips through his 20 minute court appearance.
Judge David Radford asked the singer’s barrister Adrian Waterman QC about the defence case saying: “The defence is lawful excuse?” Mr Waterman replied: “Yes”.
The judge added: “The imprisonment is admitted but it is said there was a lawful reason for the imprisonment?”.
Again the QC replied: “Yes”.
The singer now faces a five day trial starting on November 24.
But he stopped for a cigarette on the steps of the courthouse and posed for photographs with two female fans who had travelled to support him at his date in court before he was driven away in a black people carrier.
Russian Yulya, 31, who was there with a blonde German pal said afterwards: “He thanked us for coming. He knows us because we have been supporting him for years. He seemed ok.”
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