George Michael Cops to Unfit Driving

Tue., May. 8, 2007 11:00 AM PDT by Sarah Hall

George Michael has admitted that he wasn't in the best shape to be driving at the time he was found passed out behind the wheel of his car last fall.

On the first day of his trial in London, the former Wham! singer pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while unfit through drugs, blaming a combination of "tiredness and prescribed drugs" for the events that led to his arrest last October.

"I did something very stupid," he told the court Tuesday, saying he was "very ashamed" of his behavior.

"I'm not used to defending myself in a position where I am ashamed of something."

Michael, 43, was discovered slumped over the wheel of his car on Oct. 1 by police responding to complaints about a vehicle blocking an intersection in North London. A small amount of marijuana was found in his possession.

Though Michael initially pleaded not guilty to the unfit driving charge in January, he has apparently since developed a different perspective on the incident.

"I am perfectly aware that I did something very wrong and got into my car when I was unfit to drive," Michael told the court Tuesday. "I was not in my normal physical state and I'm perfectly prepared to accept the correct punishment for that and I would have accepted it a long time ago."

The singer said he was unaware he had the legal option of accepting punishment without bringing the matter to court.

"If I had known the day after the charge was brought the legal option of accepting a punishment without taking responsibility for something I felt I was not guilty to, I could have saved everyone here a lot of time and trouble," he said.

A lesser charge of being in charge of a vehicle while unfit through drugs was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Michael's sentencing was delayed until May 30, pending the results of a blood sample taken at the time of his arrest and giving the court more time to consider his guilty plea.

The charge carries a maximum of six months in prison and a $10,000 fine.

If Michael is sent to jail, it could put a serious crimp in his upcoming tour plans. The singer is due to kick off a European tour in Denmark on May 18 and is scheduled to play the first gig in London's Wembley Stadium on June 9.