Troubled American actor ROBERT DOWNEY JR was back in court this morning (19DEC00) - before the judge who put him behind bars.

JUDGE LAWRENCE MIRA, who handed Downey Jr a three-year jail sentence for violating his drug probation, told the ALLY McBEAL star he won't be revoking the decision to allow the actor to be released after just over a year behind bars. And the judge added he was firm about not taking Downey's recent arrest for alleged drug abuse once again into account.

Mira told the court, "I want Mr Downey to know that none of this that happened today has anything to do, at all, with current events." He added, "The defendant has completed, and then some, his time in the Department of Corrections."

But although Downey Jr has escaped returning to jail this time, he still has to go before the court again next week (DEC2700), to face new drug charges for which the maximum sentence could be as much as four years and eight months in jail.

(LE/WNV/CPT)

Source: WENN