British DJ Boy George was denied a visa by the United States for his planned tour of the country, the former Culture Club singer said on his website.

In the statement he said that he was declined the visa because of ongoing legal proceedings relating to a charge that he assaulted and falsely imprisoned a male escort who was allegedly chained to the wall of his east London home in April last year, a charge he denies.

He had been due to give 30 performances in the United States and Canada between 10 July and 23 August, but all of those have been cancelled.

The US State Department in Washington declined to confirm the statement, but its deputy spokesperson Tom Casey told reporters that "there often are difficulties for individuals who either are currently subject to criminal charges or otherwise may have criminal records".

"At the moment, Boy George cannot come to the United States of America because he has been refused permission to enter by the USA Administration," the statement on his website read.

"This is not in respect of anything he has done in the past but because he is facing a trial in November in London for something that happened in April last year."

The statement noted that the 46-year-old — whose real name is George O'Dowd — had been granted unconditional bail by the police and courts, allowing him to travel outside Britain.

"He is clearly not considered any form of risk in London in that regard and in that respect we are asking the US Authorities to reconsider their position," it said.

The singer, who shot to fame in the 1980s with the band Culture Club, appeared in court in February to deny the charges laid against him, and he is due to return to Snaresbrook Crown Court in London for trial on 24 November.

AFP