Jury hears Boy George police tape

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/7759039.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A police interview in which Boy George admitted handcuffing a male escort has been played to a jury.

In the recording, jurors at Snaresbrook Crown Court heard the former Culture Club singer, 46, describe 29-year-old Audun Carlsen as "lying" and "smug".

The singer - real name George O'Dowd - told police he restrained Mr Carlsen in April 2007 because he feared the escort had been tampering with his laptop.

Mr O'Dowd denies unlawfully detaining the Norwegian at his east London flat.

In the recording, Mr O'Dowd told officers that Mr Carlsen had obtained naked photos of himself from his [Mr O'Dowd's] laptop.

He told police he was angry about the matter and had handcuffed Mr Carlsen while he investigated.

"He was so smug and was lying, saying it wasn't me," he told police, recounting a telephone conversation he had had with Mr Carlsen before the escort visited his Shoreditch flat for a second time, on April 28 last year.

I said I just wanted to check something. He was saying: 'Let me go' Boy George

"I asked him to come [back to my flat] because I wanted to find out if this guy had borrowed my stuff," Mr O'Dowd could be heard saying.

The singer then explained that he had a friend present to make sure the Norwegian did not try to leave "so I could check the computer and his phone".

He denied to police that he had assaulted Mr Carlsen.

"He struggled a bit when I was [handcuffing him] because he realised I wasn't messing around," he said.

"I didn't tell him the reason I was doing what I was doing.

"I said I just wanted to check something. He was saying: 'Let me go'."

Spank admission

The singer also said in interview that killing Mr Carlsen "wouldn't have done my career any good".

In the recording, Mr O'Dowd admitted tying up the escort on a previous occasion and hitting him, but only with his consent.

"You can't spank anyone if they don't want you to. Unless you want to get arrested."

Jurors also heard Mr O'Dowd deny that he swung a chain at Mr Carlsen as the escort fled from the flat.

The trial continues.