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Legal
Bez loses assault conviction appeal
By CMU Editorial | Published on Monday 25 October 2010
Goggle-eyed space cadet and tedious Madchester throw back Bez has lost his appeal against that previously reported assault conviction.
As previously reported, Bez – real name Mark Berry – was jailed for a month earlier this summer after a Manchester court found him guilty of assaulting a former girlfriend. He would have got away with community service, but he told the magistrate hearing the case “I’m not doing it. Bothered? I’m going to appeal and take this to a real court”.
The promised appeal occurred last week in Manchester’s Crown Court, with a judge and two magistrates taking less than one day to uphold the original ruling. They also ordered the famously broke one time ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ winner to pay £500 in costs.
Still a little hazy on the concept of being in contempt of court, Bez declared: “What a stitch up – I’m paying nothing”.
The judge responded: “I would be very careful what you choose to say. If you express yourself in that way again I will have you arrested”.
Berry vowed to appeal a second time, though his lawyer indicated that may not be viable. With Bez seemingly too angry to speak after the ruling, said lawyer also read out a statement on behalf of his client, which went: “I am disappointed at the appeal ruling and have undertaken this appeal to clear my name, nothing more”.
While not making any apologies for Berry’s demeanour, the legal man added for himself: “Bez is Bez, there is nothing behind the curtain, that is how he is and what he is. But he is not a violent man”.
