15 Months In Prison For Boy George

Boy George has been sentenced to 15 months in prison on last year's conviction for false imprisonment.

The judge at Snaresbrook Crown Court said the star, real name George O'Dowd, has used "gratuitous violence." He was convicted last month of false imprisonment by a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court on December 5th but was bailed to await sentence. O'Dowd denied the charges but chose not to give evidence in his own defence. Audun Carlsen, a 29 year old sex worker, told the court of his ordeal at the hands of O'Dowd. He met the star on the dating website Gaydar in 2007 and agreed to go to his flat in London's Shoreditch late one night for a "photo session." In the following months the pop star sent the prostitute a series of messages on Gaydar and eventually arranged to meet again. On April 28th Carlsen returned to the apartment. He was confronted by O'Dowd and another man. He was attacked, dragged across the floor by O'Dowd, handcuffed to a wall by the bed at the Culture Club singer's east London flat and beaten with a chain, until he managed to flee.

The Boy served five days of community service in NYC last year after being convicted of filing a false police report and possessing cocaine.