05/12/2008

Boy George Guilty Of False Imprisonment

Singer Boy George has been found guilty of falsely imprisoning a male escort at his east London flat.

Norwegian Audun Carlsen, 29, told the court the ex-Culture Club frontman - tried under his real name George O'Dowd - beat him with a metal chain as he tried to escape from his flat after a naked photo shoot.

O'Dowd, 46, who claimed Mr Carlsen hacked into his laptop and stole photographs, denied one count of false kidnap, at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

However, the jury heard O'Dowd told police he had handcuffed the 29-year-old to his bed on April 28 last year, while he investigated the alleged tampering of his computer.

Mr Carlsen told the court O'Dowd had concocted the story, by way of punishing him for not having sex during their first meeting.

"I think he couldn't handle the refusal - me not having sex with him," Mr Carlsen said.

The pair first made contact on the Gaydar website, a social networking site primarily for gay and bisexual men.

The court heard their meeting went well, until O'Dowd became suspicious of Mr Carlsen hacking into his computer.

They parted on good terms, and the singer paid the younger man £300 of the £400 they had agreed.

During the following weeks, in emails they exchanged O'Dowd accused Mr Carlsen of breaking into his computer system.

O'Dowd, who did not give evidence himself during the trial, is expected to be sentenced on 16 January.

Judge David Radford warned O'Dowd he was "likely" to face jail.

(JM)

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