STING - STYLER: 'I AM NOT MARIE ANTOINETTE'

STYLER: 'I AM NOT MARIE ANTOINETTE'

STING's wife TRUDIE STYLER has criticised a tribunal ruling which she insists wrongly portrayed her as a modern-day Marie Antoinette. A legal panel last week (ends11May07) found Styler guilty of "shameful conduct" regarding the sacking of former chef Jane Martin, who was dismissed from her GBP28,000 ($56,000) a year post after eight year's service. But Styler insists she was misrepresented at the tribunal and was the victim of an attack on her character - which she believes saw her wrongfully portrayed as the indulgent 18th century French monarch. She says, "It was as if the chairman of the tribunal viewed me as Marie Anoinette, reclining on my chaise longue, issuing forth imperious commands from my boudoir. "(The ruling) was a terrible decision (and an) extraordinary travesty. (It read as if) I was this lofty presence, given to grandiose pretension and unthinkingly lavish gestures." Last week's ruling said, "Although Mrs Sumner (Styler) tried to distance herself from the various unlawful acts and have them carried out by minions on her behalf, when the evidence is looked at holistically, her involvement is clear. "She is without doubt the driving force manipulating others to perform her 'dirty work'." Styler - along with her rocker husband - was order to pay compensation to Martin. The amount will be determined at a hearing next month (08Jun07).