Boy George decides not to testify

Boy George has opted not to give evidence in his own defence at his ongoing trial for allegedly imprisoning a male escort at his London flat.

The singer, whose real name is George O'Dowd, confirmed through his defence counsel that he would not testify.

Mr O'Dowd denies falsely imprisoning Audun Carlsen, 29, at his flat in Shoreditch, east London in April 2007.

Mr O'Dowd told police he restrained Mr Carlsen because he feared the escort had tampered with his laptop.

As the defence case began at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Judge David Radford asked defence counsel Adrian Waterman about Mr O'Dowd's decision whether to stand.

Naked photos

"Have you explained to your client that the time has come when, if he chooses not to give evidence or refuses to give evidence while sworn under oath, a jury may draw such inferences as appear proper by his failure to do so?" the judge asked.

Mr Waterman replied that he had done so.

The judge then asked if Mr O'Dowd, 46, was being called to give evidence. Mr Waterman said: "No."

The court has heard that the singer invited the Norwegian to his flat because he suspected him of stealing photographs from his computer during an earlier encounter.

Computer expert Kim Yip testified that there was evidence on Mr O'Dowd's computers indicating that photos had been uploaded to the networking site that Mr O'Dowd first used to meet Mr Carlsen and that the computer had been used to access a Danish-language website.

The expert told the court that he also found an e-mail that Mr O'Dowd had sent to the networking site, called Gaydar, complaining that his escort had stolen computer files.

A Home Office pathologist testified that some of the injuries Mr Carlsen had might have been caused by the bondage-type equipment found in Mr O'Dowd's flat.

Friend present

Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl also told the court that he could not see any injuries to Mr Carlsen's face when shown photographs of the alleged victim.

He said some of the bondage activity that Mr Carlsen participated in could explain some of his injuries.

"I think if that kind of activity is being undertaken, one possibility is that injuries occur."

The jury has already been played a police interview in which Mr O'Dowd admitted handcuffing the male escort.

In the recording, Mr O'Dowd told officers that Mr Carlsen had obtained naked photos of himself from his [Mr O'Dowd's] laptop.

He told police he was angry about the matter and had handcuffed Mr Carlsen while he investigated.

The singer then explained that he had a friend present to make sure the Norwegian did not try to leave "so I could check the computer and his phone".

He denied to police that he had assaulted Mr Carlsen.

The trial continues.

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