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Jury Finds Boy George Guilty Of False Imprisonment

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The ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: December 5, 2008

LONDON - A jury convicted pop singer Boy George Friday of falsely imprisoning a male escort.

Norwegian Audun Carlsen had alleged he was restrained with handcuffs by the musician at the singer's London apartment on April 28, 2007.

Carlsen, 29, also accused the former Culture Club frontman of swinging a metal chain at him as he fled the singer's flat after a naked photo shoot.

Boy George, who was tried under his real name George O'Dowd, admitted he handcuffed Carlsen while he investigated alleged tampering with his home computer. The singer said he believed Carlsen had removed photos of himself that were taken by the singer when the two met previously.

Jurors saw photos of welts on Carlsen's head and injuries to his arm, which he said had been inflicted by O'Dowd, 46. O'Dowd said he couldn't account for the injuries.

The '80s icon was released on bail following the verdict. He is due to be sentenced Jan. 16.

Judge David Radford indicated jail was a real possibility for the singer. "This is a case where custody is the more likely option," Radford said.

It's not the singer's first brush with the law. Two years ago, he was ordered to do community service in New York — sweeping streets— after pleading guilty to falsely reporting a burglary at his lower Manhattan apartment. The officers who responded found cocaine instead.

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