The Happy Mondays dancer argued that he would struggle to complete the 40 hours of unpaid work which was handed to him by magistrates last month for driving without insurance.
Bez, 43, from Chorlton, even pleaded with the magistrates to send him to jail rather than make him do community service because it would descend into a "media circus".
The star - whose real name is Mark Berry - was caught driving his VW Beetle in South Manchester and failed to turn up for a hearing earlier this year.
And there were autograph-hunters among the court officials when the Celebrity Big Brother winner made his appeal - this time claiming that his "chaotic lifestyle" and punishing tour schedule would get in the way of community service.
He had already spent two nights in police custody after a warrant was put out for his non-attendance at court.
Defence lawyer Charlotte Holland told the court that his TV triumph three years ago had revived Bez's career, and showed Judge Anthony Ensor a list of forthcoming Happy Mondays gigs across Britain and Europe.
"My client is not seeking to shirk in any way his community duty. He is an active supporter of charitable causes, notably landmine charities but also helping children with Multiple Sclerosis to engage in the performing arts," she added. "But he does lead something of a chaotic lifestyle, with his management running most of his affairs."
Mondays
Judge Ensor said he was familiar with the Mondays, having presided over a case in which Bez's band-mate Shaun Ryder appeared as a witness - and turned up a day late.
"I have actually heard of Celebrity Big Brother as well," he said.
Overturning the previous sentence, and replacing it with a £500 fine - to be paid the same day - the judge said community punishment would not have been an appropriate use of probation service time.
Bez, who already had seven points on his licence, was also given six more and banned from driving for six months with £60 costs.
Judge Ensor told Bez: "We are told your career has picked up through your participation in a TV production, and are very pleased to hear that and that you have tour dates in this country and on the continent. You appear to be very popular in Scandinavia and Germany.
"Clearly your time would be better spent reviving your career than doing unpaid work. I am pleased to hear you already do work for the community and for assorted charities.
"It seems to be the most appropriate sentence would be a fine of £500 to be paid forthwith. Mr Berry, you really must understand the orders of the court, and the law of the land must be complied with. A court may not take such a lenient view in the future."
Bez first found fame in the late 1980s with the Happy Mondays, whose hits included Kinky Afro, Step On and Hallelujah. The group dissolved in 1993, and he and Ryder formed another band, Black Grape. When they split in 1988, Happy Mondays reformed.
They recently released a new album, Uncle Dysfunktional. Tweet
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Just shows dont'it, if you are a bit of a celebrity you can get away with anything.
MickS
"Clearly your time would be better spent reviving your career than doing unpaid work"
Why ?
Judge Ensor told Bez: "We are told your career has picked up through your participation in a TV production, and are very pleased to hear that and that you have tour dates in this country and on the continent. You appear to be very popular in Scandinavia and Germany.
Lucky Scandanavia and Germany who is he popular with, the brewing industry?
That means I can't go and watch him do as little as possible community service oh well!
I See british justice is still working at its best? "THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG" money first whatever happened to what the law says goes.Bez knew when he drove the car it weas wrong to drive without insurance so he has nobody else to blame exept himself if he looses work and money. its time britain and the justice system woke up .
"Clearly your time would be better spent reviving your career than doing unpaid work"
What a joke..this Judge surely doesnt think that is an acceptable explanation? Bez had 7points already , and didnt bother attending court when told to...he should have been sent down for it
It just goes to show if youve got money you can always get away with breaking the law.
It's about time this country was sorted out, the whole system is wrong, benefits, justice and everything in between is all wrong, i am actually ashamed to live here. and it should not be like this, we should be proud of our country, but there is nothing to feel proud about anymore
So if your car goes out of control, a petrol-laden tanker has to swerve and crashes into a block of flats, you have the resources to pay for all the damage and possible loss of life? For the sake of saving 2-5 hundred quid? No brains there.
i can't believe what i have just read. is it a joke?
What a load of twaddle. Glad he managed to get a beer to celebrate with. The law is a mockery. He he been an unknown scally he wouldnt have got that, mind you I have just remembered the lad with the car who actually killed two young men got four and a half years so the fine was pretty stiff for our justice system.
An utter disgrace, who does he think he is? Nobody should be above the law!
Yet another crazy sentence this idiot could of done real damage driving an uninsured car, he flouts the law by not bothering to turn up for the hearing.
The judge in this case was to over sympathetic he even admits that the court was being lenient.
If it had been Joe public in the dock and he pleaded not to be sent to jail as he would lose his job the judge quite rightly would of said tough.
No wonder the police are pe-ed off with the justice system when soft sentencing is what seems to be the order of the day.
Well done everyone for doing your research before commenting as always....
It is EXTREMELY unusual for someone to be given a community order for an offence of no insurance and failing to surrender. A fine is the penalty that everyone usually gets. Its not a case of him "using his celebrity statis" or paying his way out of the sentence- to be honest I'm surprised if he's actually got any money. And what is the point of using the probation service's valuable and scarce resources on making him do community work when he does it already and its totally unnecessary?
All that has happened here is that the Judge has corrected a mistake made by the lower court.
And while I totally agree that driving without insurance is criminal and inconsiderate there was no suggestion that he had caused an accident or created any difficulties to other road users.
Not only is it illegal to drive without Insurance.
It is illegal to drink on the street - but then it doesnt matter to him does it?!
Victoria, Manchester
Ive not a clue what planet you are on ? "NO INSURANCE IS CLASSED AS INCONSIDERATE IN YOUR BOOKS?" Its downright wrong to drive a car with no insurance is totally wrong .get ran over with a non insured driver and see if they hand around to ring a ambulance or even wait and seev if you are ok.most insured drivers think about themselves and do a runner.
"...his "chaotic lifestyle" and punishing tour schedule would get in the way of community service". Oh that's a pity.
I assume it was his chaotic lifestyle that got in the way of him paying his car insurance.
It's people like Bez who make car insurance the price it is.
Ace: I actually said that uninsured drivers are CRIMINAL and inconsiderate. Driving without insurance is the height of inconsideration as it clearly shows you don't have any regard for other road users, whether or not you have an accident.
What seems to have escaped everyones attention is that this story is about the fact that the original sentence he got was wrong in law, and the new one is right in law, whether you agree with it or not.
"Judge Ensor said he was familiar with the Mondays, having presided over a case in which Bez's band-mate Shaun Ryder appeared as a witness - and turned up a day late."
Andy P - Nobody should be above the law?
The Mondays ARE the law, son.
nice one bez. ;-)
Yes he was a naughty boy but, he got caught, got his knockles rapped and has been issued with a fine, JUST as would have been the case for the many other joe publics doing the same. As for CAUSING 'Real damage' (SP in exile) how would insurance alter the way he drives? Would you all please stop acting the pompous twits and go draw your pensions.