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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Boy George loses Big Brother plea | Boy George loses Big Brother plea |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Boy George has been told he cannot participate in the final series of Celebrity Big Brother, a judge at the High Court has ruled. | Boy George has been told he cannot participate in the final series of Celebrity Big Brother, a judge at the High Court has ruled. |
| The star's legal team had been trying to lift a Probation Service ban on him appearing on the Channel 4 show. | The star's legal team had been trying to lift a Probation Service ban on him appearing on the Channel 4 show. |
| The singer - real name George O'Dowd - was released on licence from prison early for imprisoning a male escort. | The singer - real name George O'Dowd - was released on licence from prison early for imprisoning a male escort. |
| Mr Justice Bean said the Probation Service was within its rights to refuse the star permission to appear. | Mr Justice Bean said the Probation Service was within its rights to refuse the star permission to appear. |
| He added that somebody who is out on licence and the restrictions placed on their freedom are part of their punishment. | He added that somebody who is out on licence and the restrictions placed on their freedom are part of their punishment. |
| "I consider that right-thinking members of the public would take the view that an offender serving the non-custodial part of a sentence of imprisonment should not be allowed to take part in a high profile, controversial television production, promoting his status as a celebrity and with considerable financial gain," Mr Justice Bean said. | "I consider that right-thinking members of the public would take the view that an offender serving the non-custodial part of a sentence of imprisonment should not be allowed to take part in a high profile, controversial television production, promoting his status as a celebrity and with considerable financial gain," Mr Justice Bean said. |
| Public confidence | Public confidence |
| A spokesman for the Probation Service said they were "pleased" with the judgement. | A spokesman for the Probation Service said they were "pleased" with the judgement. |
| "We believe we made a common sense direction and this has been endorsed by the judge. | "We believe we made a common sense direction and this has been endorsed by the judge. |
| "We expect offenders to keep to their licence conditions which are in place to protect the public, punish offenders for their crime and aid rehabilitation," he added. | "We expect offenders to keep to their licence conditions which are in place to protect the public, punish offenders for their crime and aid rehabilitation," he added. |
| Boy George's lawyer Louis Charalambous on the decision | Boy George's lawyer Louis Charalambous on the decision |
| The 48-year-old former Culture Club singer and DJ went to the High Court to quash a decision by the Probation Service banning him from appearing on the show. | The 48-year-old former Culture Club singer and DJ went to the High Court to quash a decision by the Probation Service banning him from appearing on the show. |
| On Tuesday Richard Clayton QC, representing the Probation Service, said O'Dowd's participation would pose "a high level of risk" to the service's reputation. | On Tuesday Richard Clayton QC, representing the Probation Service, said O'Dowd's participation would pose "a high level of risk" to the service's reputation. |
| The former Culture Club star is currently on licence and wears an electronic tag. | The former Culture Club star is currently on licence and wears an electronic tag. |
| Mr Clayton argued that if he used the show to promote his status as a celebrity and earn "a lucrative sum of money" it could undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system. | Mr Clayton argued that if he used the show to promote his status as a celebrity and earn "a lucrative sum of money" it could undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system. |
| But Alison MacDonald, representing O'Dowd, told the court his Probation Service licence was designed to monitor his behaviour, protect the public and rehabilitate rather than punish him. | But Alison MacDonald, representing O'Dowd, told the court his Probation Service licence was designed to monitor his behaviour, protect the public and rehabilitate rather than punish him. |
| O'Dowd's lawyers could now take the matter further to the Court Of Appeal and ask the Lord Chief Justice if he will consider hearing the case. | O'Dowd's lawyers could now take the matter further to the Court Of Appeal and ask the Lord Chief Justice if he will consider hearing the case. |
| It is not yet clear whether the star's legal team will do that. | It is not yet clear whether the star's legal team will do that. |
| The singer was convicted of false imprisonment after admitting handcuffing Norwegian Audun Carlsen to a wall in his London home in April 2007. | The singer was convicted of false imprisonment after admitting handcuffing Norwegian Audun Carlsen to a wall in his London home in April 2007. |
| Previously O'Dowd had been given permission to perform at Brighton's Gay Pride event in August. | Previously O'Dowd had been given permission to perform at Brighton's Gay Pride event in August. |