George Michael Leaves Prison Ready for Fresh Start

By Cassie Ryan
Cassie Ryan
Cassie Ryan
October 11, 2010Updated: October 1, 2015

George Michael (L, with beard,) at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court in London on Sept. 14. He was sentenced after pleading guilty to charges at an earlier hearing. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)
George Michael (L, with beard,) at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court in London on Sept. 14. He was sentenced after pleading guilty to charges at an earlier hearing. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)
George Michael says he is ready to "start again," following four weeks in prison for driving under the influence of drugs and possession of cannabis.

The celebrity, perhaps best known for being half of 1980s pop duo Wham!, was arrested in July after he crashed his Land Rover into a photo processing shop in Hamstead, north London.

He has been banned from driving for five years and heavily fined after pleading guilty to the offences.

Initially, the singer was sent to Pentonville Prison to serve an eight-week sentence. However, he was transferred to Highpoint Prison in Suffolk after several days and then released after only being in custody for half the term of the sentence.

He is expected to serve the remainder of his sentence under the supervision of the probation service.

The 47-year-old has a previous conviction for a similar offence. He explained to reporters outside his home that he will "stop running away from you guys."

"I'm coming out here on my own so that you'll realise I just want to start again," he told reporters on Monday.

"By the way, I've just thought of a really good idea for a song," he added. "It's going to be nothing to do with prison."