Boy George has been formally charged with false imprisonment following that slightly bizarre incident back in April when a male escort claimed the former Culture Club frontman chained him to his flat wall and left him.
Norwegian escort Auden Carlsen claims he accompanied George back to his London flat under the allusion the singer wanted him to model for a photo shoot. But, he alleges, on getting to the flat George and another man grabbed him, chained him to a wall and then produced a range of whips and sex toys. George then allegedly told Carlsen, "Now you'll get what you deserve". The two later left Carlsen chained up - he escaped by wrenching one of the hooks out of the wall.
At the time Carlsen made the allegations George reportedly "laughed them off". Speaking to reporters, George's brother said both he and George already knew Carlsen before the night of the alleged incident, and that the events of that evening were not as sinister as Carlsen claimed. George, he added, said he found the fact Carlsen had made the claims "hilarious".
Whether the now pending court case on the matter will be just as amusing remains to be seen. Police confirmed George had been charged in relation to the incident. A spokesman said: "George O'Dowd, 47, a musician of Ravey Street, EC2, is charged with the false imprisonment of a 28-year-old in Ravey Street on 28 April. He has been bailed to return before Thames Magistrates Court on 22 November".
As much previously reported, George's most recent other run in with the law took place in New York where the singer was ordered to clean the streets as community service relating to a drugs charge. The sentence for false imprisonment, should George be found guilty, will be slightly more severe.