Gerard Depardieu fails to appear in court

The actor Gerard Depardieu failed to show up in court to face drink-driving charges today because he was preparing to play the disgraced former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn in a film, his lawyer said.

The no-show means the case will turn into a full trial – guaranteeing yet another day in the spotlight for the garrulous 64-year-old actor who is caught up in a scandal over his tax status.

It could also lead to the rotund star of Asterix and Obelix getting a tougher sentence if convicted – the maximum penalty is two years in prison.