Conflicting reports emerged of Boy George’s first days in Pentonville Prison last week, with some tabloid papers describing prisoners mobbing him for autographs with others describing him quaking with terror. Fellow prisoner Richard Lyttle claimed he’d rescued George from another prisoner calling him ‘batty boy’ in the holding cell after he was sentenced to 15 months and claimed the Culture Club star was a physical wreck.

“When I walked into the cell I saw this fat, bald bloke sitting in the corner crying like a baby. He was shaking like a leaf, a total wreck,” Lyttle claimed. “He kept sobbing over and over, ‘I can’t go to jail – I’ll be killed’.” However The Sun quoted another ‘prison insider’ who said he’s settling in reasonably well after landing a job working in the prison canteen. “George has been very quiet,” the insider suggested. “He’s not been crying, but seems to be in another world and sleeps a lot.”

Meanwhile in Norway, George’s victim Audun Carlsen, 29, spoke about the incident on national Norwegian network TV 2 and said he feared he was going to be killed when George and an unidentified man started attacking him. “I have never been so afraid my whole life,” he told the TV station. “It was extremely painful, and I was sure that my last time had come.” The Norwegian escort added that he’s since been threatened by people he suspects are hardcore Boy George fans. “I don’t want this incident to destroy my life, but no, I don’t feel safe,” he said. “I always have to look over my shoulder.”