BOY GEORGE - BOY GEORGE'S MOTHER FALLS ILL

BOY GEORGE's mother collapsed after discovering he had been arrested in New York on drug charges last week (07OCT05).

CHRISTINA O'DOWD, known as DINAH, already suffers from emphysema, but the strain of her son's arrest has taken its toll and she has been hospitalised.

George, real name GEORGE O'DOWD, dashed back to his native Britain to be by Dinah's bedside, but is due to return to court in New York City on 19 December (05).

If found guilty he faces up to 15 years imprisonment for falsely reporting a burglary and being in possession of thirteen bags of cocaine. The star denies the charges.

George's nephew JOE says, "It must be connected to what's happened with George because she was really upset about it."