Snipes allowed to travel abroad

A judge has granted US actor Wesley Snipes permission to travel abroad to work while his lawyers fight convictions for tax offences.

He will be allowed to visit the UK and Thailand for filming and editing on forthcoming movies.

A travel ban request had been made on the grounds he might not return.

In April, Snipes was sentenced for three years in jail for failing to file tax returns, but was granted bail while his convictions are being appealed.

Errors

Federal judge William Terrell Hodges approved Snipes' request to visit London for three days to put the finishing touches to Gallowwalker.

He will go to Thailand for eight weeks to film Chasing The Dragon.

The 45-year-old, whose screen credits include White Men Can't Jump and Jungle Fever, was accused by prosecutors of failing to pay tax or file tax returns on earnings of $38m (£19.2m) since 1999.

On the day he was sentenced, his lawyers handed over cheques totalling $5m (£2.5m) for the tax authorities.

His legal team are arguing that the judge in the case made several errors before and after his February conviction.