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25
April 2007
George
Michael Hit With Court
Date
George
Michael's
preparations to give the
first giant concert at
London's new Wembley
Stadium were drastically
altered Tuesday when he
was ordered to appear in
court the day
before.
Part
of the British singer's
trial will take place on
June 8 - the day before
his gig at the
90,000-seater
Wembley.
The
43-year-old former Wham!
frontman faces a charge
of driving while unfit
through drugs and an
allegation of being in
charge of a vehicle
while unfit through
drugs.
At
Tuesday's preliminary
hearing at Brent
Magistrates' Court in
northwest London,
district judge Katherine
Marshall rejected an
application for the
musician to be allowed
to skip the
trial.
The
singer starts a British
and European stadium
tour in May. Wembley
Stadium is about three
miles (4.8 kilometres)
from the
court.
Marshall
said she wanted him in
court for the start on
May 8 and would be
willing to bail him to
reappear on the final
day if he did not wish
to attend the full
trial.
"He
is around in the area
because I believe he is
appearing at Wembley
Stadium. I do not think
he will have any
difficulty in being here
on June 8," Marshall
said.
In
the early hours of
October 1 last year,
London motorists called
the emergency services
after finding Michael
slumped in his Mercedes
car, which was blocking
a junction.
He
was arrested on
suspicion of being unfit
to drive and for
possession of what was
thought to be cannabis.
He was taken to hospital
before being cautioned
for carrying the
drug.
He
was also caught slumped
at the wheel of his car
in February
2006.
The
singer rose to fame as
one half of Wham! in the
1980s. His 1998 arrest
for lewd conduct in a
public toilet in
California forced his
homosexuality into the
public
domain.
Michael
has sold more than 85
million records
worldwide, notching up
several hit singles in
Britain and the United
States, including
"Careless Whisper" and
"Faith".
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