Singer George Michael has been charged with possessing cannabis and being unfit to drive after allegedly crashing his car into a photography shop last month, police said yesterday.
The “Careless Whisper” star has been bailed and is due to appear before magistrates in London on August 24.
He was previously arrested and bailed after the incident in the plush Hampstead district of north London, near his home. London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed he had been charged, in a statement which referred to him by his real name.
“Georgios Panayiotou, aged 47, of Highgate, N6 returned on police bail today,” it said. “He was charged with possession of cannabis and driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs.” (AFP)
Holidaymaker critical after balcony fall
A young man from Portsmouth is fighting for his life in hospital in Majorca after he fell from a hotel balcony while on holiday in Ibiza.
Ryan Elley made a spur-of-the-moment decision to join friends for the trip to the Spanish island.
The 20-year-old was seriously injured, suffering bleeding on the brain, in the fall from the second-floor balcony of the Jet Apartments in Playa d’en Bossa on Sunday.
Mr Elley was airlifted to Son Dureta hospital in Palma, where he was put into a medical coma. (AFP)
World record fine
A motorist is facing the world’s largest speeding fine after allegedly being clocked doing 180mph on a Swiss motorway.
The 37-year-old Swedish man was caught by a camera on the A12 highway between Bern and Lausanne yesterday.
He was travelling so fast he needed over half a kilometre of road to come to a halt, according to one arresting officer.
The Swede may have to pay up to £650,000 under a formula used in Switzerland that takes into account the driver’s salary and how much over the speed limit he or she was. (AFP)
‘Corpse’ sparks alert
A girl whose apparently lifeless body was spotted on Google’s Street View service had simply fallen over while playing near her home.
The bizarre image, thought to be that of 10-year-old Azura Beebeejaun, had prompted concern for the welfare of the person seen lying sprawled across the pavement in Middle Road, Worcester.
Some readers contacted the Worcester News to express concern about the supposed “corpse” but inquiries by the newspaper established that the girl concerned was alive and well. (PA)
Goat meat at Harrods
Department store Harrods is to sell goat meat in its upscale food hall in response to a resurgence of interest from diners.
The meat, which is rarely seen in supermarkets or butchers’ shops, has begun appearing on the menu at top London restaurants Fifteen, Pied a Terre and St John, and in New York.
Harrods will begin selling fresh goat shoulder next month at £19.95 a kilogram. (PA)
Man hit by train
A 20-year-old man who died when he was struck by a train as he attempted to evade police was named by Scotland Yard yesterday.
Mircea Adam, also known as Bobi Rostas, of Rochestown, County Cork in Ireland, was killed after hurdling a level crossing barrier following a pursuit in Enfield, north London, at about 5.30 p.m. on Monday.
Police said officers attempted to stop a Mercedes CLK 230 car – thought to have been uninsured – on Ordnance Road a short time before his death. (PA)
Earthquake strikes Ecuador
A 6.9 magnitude quake struck Ecuador yesterday in a region southeast of Quito in the centre of the country, the US Geological Survey said.
No tsunami was believed generated by the quake, whose epicentre was southeast of Quito, the USGS said. The agency twice revised its estimate of the magnitude of the quake, from 6.9 to 7.2 and then back to a 6.9 magnitude.
It said the quake struck just after 11:53 GMT. (AFP)
Web investigations warning issued
Parents have been urged not to launch their own online investigations after an internet pervert was snared by a mother who pretended to be a 13-year-old girl.
The advice was issued after a Leeds mother turned detective to trap an internet paedophile preying on her teenage daughter.
The mother logged into a web chat room pretending to be her daughter and arranged a meeting with Philip James Brown. Once she had his mobile number she handed the details to police who then arrested him, a court was told.
A spokeswoman for the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre said an increasing number of parents were taking this course of action.
She said: “We don’t encourage this type of action. Our message to parents is if you fear your child is at risk you should report it to us or the police who can take the appropriate action. (PA)