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George Michael in drugs arrest

IN TROUBLE: George Michael

The former Wham! star was taken into custody at Hyde Park Corner in central London early yesterday morning (Feb 26), following a call from a member of the public.

Michael, 42, was checked by paramedics but did not need hospital treatment.

Officers arrested him on suspicion of possessing Class C drugs before bailing him to return to a police station next month.

He was also initially arrested on suspicion of being unfit to drive, but after being taken to a police station and examined by a doctor he was de-arrested for this alleged offence.

The Sun reported that the singer was booked by police under his real name, Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou.

Seized

The substances seized by officers are suspected to be cannabis and GHB, a drug also known as liquid ecstasy which is popular with clubbers, according to the paper.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "We were called by a member of the public to a man seen slumped over the steering wheel of a car on the street close to Hyde Park Corner.

"An ambulance attended, but the man was not suffering from any injuries so was not conveyed to hospital.

"Police attended and spoke to the man, aged 42. A search of the man revealed what was believed to be controlled substances.

"He was arrested on suspicion of possession of controlled substances of category C and on suspicion of being unfit to drive.

"Following an examination by the duty doctor in the custody suite he was de-arrested for the driving offence.

"He has been released on bail to return to a central London police station on a date in late March pending analysis of the substances recovered."

A spokesman for London Ambulance said: "We were called to Hyde Park Corner this morning. One ambulance attended but no-one was taken to hospital."

This is not the first time Michael has found himself on the wrong side of the law.

Toliet

In 1998 the star was arrested for lewd conduct in a public toilet in Los Angeles after being spotted by an undercover police officer.

The incident led him to reveal he was gay, ending years of mystery about his sexuality.

With schoolmate Andrew Ridgeley, the other half of Wham!, Michael had a string of hits in the mid-1980s with songs such as Wham Rap, Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, Freedom and I'm Your Man.

In 1986 the duo split up and Michael pursued a solo career.

His first solo album, Faith, released in 1988, was a success with both the critics and music fans, selling in excess of 10 million copies.

The singer spent most of the early 1990s locked in a legal fight with his record company Sony which prevented him from recording any fresh material.

The legal battle was finally ended when Virgin and Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks paid Sony 40 million dollars - £23.8 million - to release him from a multi-album deal.

In December last year he released a new documentary charting the highs and lows of his turbulent career.

Michael has sold more than 85 million records worldwide and notched up six number one singles in the US, 11 in the UK and seen seven albums hit the top spot.