New York, Aug 2 (IANS) A comedian, held for throwing a foam pie at media mogul Rupert Murdoch during a parliamentary select committee hearing in the phone-hacking scandal, has been jailed for six weeks.


The 80-year-old Murdoch was testifying before Parliament last month when Jonathan May-Bowles provided the impromptu facial - and took a shot in return from Murdoch's wife, Wendi, New York Daily News reported.

District Judge Daphne Wickham in handing down the sentence, blasted May-Bowles for his actions.

"You attended with one objective in mind, which was to disrupt proceedings," Wickham chastised him. "Your behaviour merits a custodial sentence."

"This is a parliamentary process, which as you know conducts itself with dignity and in a civilised fashion," Daily Mail quoted the judge as saying.

"Everybody else in the room expected that, with one exception - you.

"You attended those proceedings with only one intention, to disrupt them."

May-Bowles - also known as Jonnie Marbles - from Windsor, Berkshire, was ordered to pay 250 pounds costs at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court and a 15 pounds victim surcharge.

The judge said she took into account the fear of injury felt by Murdoch, who could not have known what was in the foam pie.

Wearing a checked lumberjack shirt and black jeans, May-Bowles stood in the dock without reacting as sentence was passed.