GEORGE Michael yesterday broke down following his first night in jail - after being banged up on a wing with PAEDOPHILES.

The Club Tropicana singer, 47 - locked up for caning it on cannabis then crashing his car into a shop - was devastated following his first night in Pentonville prison.

After sobbing on Tuesday night as he arrived at the forbidding North London jail he yesterday broke down AGAIN.

The terrified multi-millionaire had been prescribed pills to help him sleep after being given a cell away from the main population.

He woke to find himself surrounded by child-sex perverts also being held on the Vulnerable Prisoners Unit.

A jail insider revealed: "When he went to use a payphone in the communal area he was hunched over it - distraught and in tears. He was whispering and very emotional."

The ex-Wham! heart-throb - famously nicked in Los Angeles for a "lewd act" in a toilet 12 years ago - was thought to have been calling his gay lover Kenny Goss.

He poured out his torment less than 24 hours after being brought into jail to a chorus of lags belting out his hits Freedom and Faith.

A source said: "George was bombarded with mickey-taking songs from the cons.

"He was crying as they sang, `You`ve got to have faith` at him."

His first experience of Pentonville was a holding area where he was taken to be strip searched.

The expensive pinstripe grey suit and handmade shoes he wore to court - where the judge blasted his drug-taking - were swapped for prison-issue footwear, blue jeans and a plain T-shirt.

He was also ordered to remove jewellery including a ring and watch, which were put in a plastic bag along with his wallet. The star - sentenced to eight weeks after pleading guilty to driving while unfit through drugs - will get them back when he is let out of jail.

That will be in a month when he is freed to serve the rest of his stretch on licence.

Jail chiefs decided to put the pop star in the Vulnerable Prisoners Unit for his own protection.

He was led to Cell 22, which he was given to himself. There he was confronted by a bunk, table, chair, sink - and toilet.

The window bleakly faces a jail wall. But he did find a few luxuries. One was a tiny portable telly which will cost him ё1 a week to rent. Another was a kettle so he can make himself a cuppa.

He was also issued with a smoker`s pack of rolling tobacco, Rizla papers and matches.

Sedated Michael spent an anguished night sleeping in the lower bunk. The source said: "He was checked regularly over the night as officers were concerned about his mental wellbeing." He was woken by prison officers at 7.30am.

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Breakfasts of muesli or coco pops and UHT milk were taken to inmates in their cells.

The star was still rubbing his eyes when a nearby prisoner began singing Freedom. The insider said: "George was locked up in his cell having his breakfast when an inmate burst into song.

"He sang the lyrics to Freedom and a couple of others joined in. They then burst out laughing."

The pop idol was led from his cell at 8.30am to face more humiliation - a prison "induction" which included a laughably-easy 45-minute maths and English test.

The source said: "The test is known as `levels` and he had to answer questions that a primary school kid would face. They included problems such as, `If Peter had four apples and Paul had three, how many would there be in total?`

"George must have realised he`d sunk as low as he could go. He passed with flying colours - getting a top Level One mark."

A senior prison officer also tried to establish his mental and physical health. Michael was asked how he was feeling and whether he wanted to take any education classes.

He was also given the chance to undergo rehabilitation for drugs.

The singer - who sought rehab after the smash in his ё80,000 Range Rover two months ago - is believed to have declined. By 10am he was back in his cell. Lunch was from a menu the star had to pick from the night before - and was delivered to inmates who eat in their cells.

The source said: "It was pretty basic stuff compared to the five-star fare he normally enjoys. The menu included mince, salads, sandwiches, hot food such as pasta - and, of course, chips with everything."

Jail chiefs - who want to put the star to work inside - are keen to move him out of tough Pentonville, The Sun understands.

But they are hamstrung by Ministry of Justice rules which mean a cushy open prison is NOT an option - because of the nature of his crimes, which also include being found with cannabis on him.

If Michael is moved he would still have to be held in a closed prison, even though it may be a medium-risk one. The insider said: "They are desperate to get him out of Pentonville as there are some pretty nasty characters locked up there. But the options are limited." Michael spent most of yesterday afternoon banged up in his cell. But he was allowed to use the exercise yard for an hour.

One cheeky con asked for his autograph. The singer obliged - scribbling his name on a scrap of paper.

He returned to his cell and stayed there lying on his bed until doors were unlocked for cons to enjoy early evening "association" time.

Michael was offered the opportunity to mingle on the wing with his grisly fellow inmates.

At 8pm cells were locked again for what used to be lights out. Nowadays lags can switch them off whenever they want. Last night the Prison Service said: "We never comment on individual prisoners."
sections: Celebrities