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| Former Michael Jackson bodyguard fined | Former Michael Jackson bodyguard fined |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A former bodyguard of the late US singer Michael Jackson has been fined for issuing fake court summons. Matt Fiddes, from Barnstaple in north Devon, admitted during a separate hearing at Exeter crown court last month to one charge of delivering a copy of a paper falsely purporting to be a county court summons. | A former bodyguard of the late US singer Michael Jackson has been fined for issuing fake court summons. Matt Fiddes, from Barnstaple in north Devon, admitted during a separate hearing at Exeter crown court last month to one charge of delivering a copy of a paper falsely purporting to be a county court summons. |
| The offence arose at a time when the martial arts and fitness trainer was acting in divorce proceedings, the court was told on Friday. | The offence arose at a time when the martial arts and fitness trainer was acting in divorce proceedings, the court was told on Friday. |
| He was handed a £750 fine, and ordered to pay £1,200 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. | He was handed a £750 fine, and ordered to pay £1,200 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. |
| Judge Francis Gilbert QC said: "You would have saved yourself a lot of the trouble if you had admitted what you did at the start." | Judge Francis Gilbert QC said: "You would have saved yourself a lot of the trouble if you had admitted what you did at the start." |
| The court heard that doubts over the authenticity of the papers were raised because they were issued to another man without the customary court stamp. | The court heard that doubts over the authenticity of the papers were raised because they were issued to another man without the customary court stamp. |
| "It was rather a stupid thing to have done," the judge said, adding that Fiddes had had "a significant business". | "It was rather a stupid thing to have done," the judge said, adding that Fiddes had had "a significant business". |
| The 33-year-old had worked as a minder for Jackon in the past and had been friends with members of the singer's family before a separate court dispute. | |
| The defendant is also a former celebrity trainer to Australian singer Peter Andre and British model Danielle Lloyd. | The defendant is also a former celebrity trainer to Australian singer Peter Andre and British model Danielle Lloyd. |