Bez jailed for defying magistrate
25/08/2010
Pop personality Bez has been jailed for four weeks after assaulting his ex-girlfriend during a row over money.
The former Happy Mondays dancer flew into a rage and throttled Monica Ward, the mother of his two-year-old son, after accusing her of stealing cash at their home in Whalley Range, Manchester.
The 46-year-old, who represented himself, was initially given a community order and told to pay £450 costs at Manchester Magistrates court. However he protested his innocence and told chair of the magistrates' bench Marie Cash that he would not obey the sentence. In response, she jailed him for one month.
The former Celebrity Big Brother winner shouted "Victory is in my grasp" as he was handcuffed and taken to the cells.
Bez, whose real name is Mark Berry, claimed he had been acting in self-defence but was convicted of the assault earlier this month. He was also convicted of using unlawful violence to gain entry into their home.
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