Boy George charge dropped
Music
13:30 09 March 2006
A New York judge has dropped a drugs charge against Boy George.
The former Culture Club frontman was arrested at his Manhattan apartment last October after officers found a quantity of cocaine next to a computer.
His lawyer, Lou Freeman, said the gay singer had held a party at his apartment, and did not know who owned the class A substance.
Flamboyant George was told the charge of possessing cocaine was being dropped, but he was fined $1,000 for wasting police time after admitting falsely reporting a burglary.
In court yesterday (08.03.06), Judge Anthony Ferrarar ordered the 44-year-old to attend a drug rehabilitation programme and sentenced him to five days of community service.
In a statement, the 80s icon - whose real name is George O'Dowd - said: "I am relieved and happy that this case has been disposed of.
"I love New York and I'm looking forward to coming back and working in the States later this year."
The singer always protested his innocence on the drugs charge, but if found guilty, George could have been jailed for up to five years.
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