15 Sep 2010

George Michael jailed for drug-driving

1:28 pm on 15 September 2010

A court in London has sentenced singer George Michael to eight weeks in prison for driving while under the influence of drugs.

He admitted using cannabis when he crashed his car into a shop-front in the city two months ago.

He was also fined £1250 at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court in London and given a five-year driving ban.

Michael, 47, was arrested in July after driving his Range Rover into a branch of a photographic store in Hampstead, north London.

Last month he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of drugs and possessing cannabis.

The singer was told then that his offences were "a serious matter" and that he could face imprisonment.

The BBC reports Michael will serve four weeks in prison, with the rest of his sentence spent on licence under the supervision of the probation service.

Previous conviction

The singer - whose real name is Georgios Panayiotou - has made no secret of his long-time use of cannabis.

He admitted another charge of driving while unfit through use of drugs at Brent Magistrates Court in London in July 2007.