LONDON – British singer George Michael was sentenced to eight weeks in jail yesterday for driving under the influence of cannabis when he crashed his car into a north London shop in July.
Michael, wearing a grey suit and black tie, sighed as Judge John Perkins sentenced him at a London court, while his long-term partner, Kenny Goss, threw his head into his hands.
The singer was told he would serve four weeks in prison and spend the remainder on licence.
“It does not appear that you took proper steps to deal with what is clearly an addiction to cannabis,” the judge told Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court.
“That’s a mistake which puts you and, on this occasion, the public at risk,” he said.
The judge said he took into account the fact that Michael had checked into a clinic after the crash to seek help for anxiety, depression and insomnia.
“I accept entirely that you have shown remorse for the offence, that you are ashamed of it, that you admitted it,” he said, but added that a jail term was inevitable because of Michael’s previous conviction for a similar offence. – (Reuters)