The reckless paparazzi that chased Justin Bieber down the freeway last month (June 2012) has been given a dressing down in court and could be slapped with a hefty fine or even a jail sentence. 30 year-old Paul Raef was in a high-speed pursuit with Bieber on Los Angeles' Freeway 101 and is now paying the price for his dangerous tactics. E! Online reports that the Los Angeles City Attorney Office will be filing four criminal charges against the photographer.
A city attorney spokesman, Frank Mateljan told E! Online that Raef could face up to 12 months in jail and a potential fine of up to $3,500. The four misdemeanour charges include following another vehicle too closely, reckless driving with the intent to capture pictures for commercial gain, reckless driving and failing to obey the lawful order of a peace officer. When the incident happened, Bieber was trying to speed away from Raef's Toyota Rav4, in his Fisker Karma (which he received as a gift for his 18th birthday recently). The pursuit was eventually so aggressive that Bieber called 911 for assistance. The young pop star filed a harassment complaint against Raef, who was discovered when his license plate was spotted in a downtown parking garage in LA. Raef's attorney could not be reached for comment on the situation.
Meanwhile, it looks as though Justin Bieber will shortly be releasing a new song with Carly Rae Jepsen. Both singers are remaining tight-lipped about the track, until its release schedule has been confirmed.