Healthy-looking Boy George salutes freedom as he's released early from prison
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 5:49 PM on 11th May 2009
Boy George beamed with delight as he was released early from prison today.
The Eighties pop star offered a Benny Hill-style salute as he left jail after serving only four months of his 15-month sentence for falsely imprisoning a rent boy.
George, who has fought a long battle against drink and drugs, looked much healthier following his stint behind bars.
He appeared to have lost weight and the heavy bags under his eyes, his complexion was much pinker and he's grown a beard, which is grey but tidily trimmed.
Changed man: Boy George salutes photographers as he leaves Edmunds Hill prison in Suffolk today
Even more tellingly, the sparkle seems to have returned to his eyes. When photographed before sentencing in January he wore the dead look of a man contemplating a long stretch of porridge.
After leaving Edmunds Hill Prison in Suffolk, George O'Dowd returned to his London home, where he was joined by friends and family eager to celebrate his release.
His brother Kevin O'Dowd arrived carrying a box of groceries to help his brother re-stock his empty house.
George said he was looking forward to a cup of coffee and cake, and would not be drinking alcohol.
The former Culture Club frontman, was jailed on January 16 for the false imprisonment and assault of male prostitute Audun Carlsen.
Heading home: Boy George looked delighted to have finished his three-month stint behind bars and he looked a lot healthier
After initially being sent to Pentonville Prison in North London, O'Dowd was later transferred to Edmunds Hill, where he remained until his release this morning.
Home James: Boy George arrives back at his north London home
Dressed in a black zip-up top, the bald singer smiled and saluted photographers as he experienced freedom for the first time in months.
The 47-year-old was given permission for early release for good behaviour, but will wear an ankle monitoring tag and adhere to a curfew.
The DJ will be expected to report regularly to his probation officer.
The Karma Chameleon singer was found guilty of thrashing Carlsen with a chain as he was shackled to a wall in the star's Shoreditch flat in April 2007.
The judge accused O'Dowd of 'gratuitous violence' when he sentenced him in January.
The 29-year-old Norwegian managed to free himself and fled in his underpants into the street, screaming for help.
Condemning his 'premeditated', 'callous' and drug-fuelled frenzy which 'traumatised' Mr Carlsen, the judge said his victim had been 'deprived of his liberty and his human dignity'.
He said the offence was 'so serious that only an immediate sentence of imprisonment can be justified'.
O'Dowd's own barrister admitted that his client's career had hit rock bottom and likened the behaviour of the two men to 'two drug-crazed idiots'.
Non prison food: A box of shopping was taken in from an organic shop and a vegetarian dish bento-style box was hand-delivered
Takeaway: George clearly wants to continue with his healthier lifestyle as he immediately took delivery of a box of organic food
His solicitor Adrian Waterman said the singer's continuing battle with cocaine addiction had contributed to his actions, but he was making a concerted effort to deal with his addiction.
He did not give evidence in court - his brother David O'Dowd said it was because he did not want to cause further upset to his elderly mother.
At the height of O'Dowd's fame in the Eighties, he sold over 25million records worldwide with his group the Culture Club.
In the Nineties, he made his name again as a successful DJ and also launched his own fashion range B.Rude.
Source:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...behaviour.html 
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