Boy George Refuses To Give Evidence At Trial

George maintains he is innocent but insists he doesn't mind going to prison because he has finally beaten his drug problems.

Boy George refused to give evidence at his false imprisonment trial to protect his dying mother.

The former Culture Club singer - who was found guilty of holding male escort Audun Carlsen in his London apartment in 2007 after handcuffing him to a radiator - faces a maximum sentence of life in prison when his punishment is handed down today (16.01.09).

According to his brother David, George - real name George O'Dowd - but would rather be jailed than cause his ailing mother Dinah O'Dowd any further heartache by speaking about the incident.

According to Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper, David claims George, 47, told him: "I know the likelihood is that I'm going to prison, but I couldn't do it for mum's sake - she's dying.

"The only reason I didn't give evidence was for her. She's been through too much in her life already."

George maintains he is innocent but insists he doesn't mind going to prison because he has finally beaten his drug problems.

He reportedly added to David: "Carlsen is stitching me up because of the money he knows he can make.

"I'll probably go to jail for this even though I'm innocent. But that doesn't matter. What matters is I'm clean and sober. The only reason I didn't give evidence in court is that I didn't want to put mum through any more pain."