Boy George has been warned by Judge Anthony Ferrara that if he doesn't complete his five days of community service by 28 Aug, he will go to prison. The singer, as previously reported, was not present at a court date last week at which his lawyer explained that George didn't wish to do the community service handed to him - sweeping pavements - saying that he felt it would turn into a "media circus".
The judge, however, doesn't care, and the former Culture Club star, real name George O'Dowd, will have to spend some time picking up leaves in a New York Park. With George in court in person this week, Ferrara pointed to the courtroom exit and said: "If you do community service, you go out that door. I'm going to make you a promise. If you don't do this community service, you go through the back door. I'm not going to give you another chance."
George later told the Press Association: "I don't care about doing cleaning up. My mum was a cleaner. I was worried I would have to wear an orange boiler suit, but apparently I can wear what I like. I'm going to dress up - I'll wear something loud." Which won't inspire a media circus at all.