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Man fined for secret Madonna film

Madonna and Guy Ritchie
Madonna and Guy Ritchie  

DORNOCH, Scotland -- A man who secretly filmed the baptism of Madonna's baby son Rocco has been fined £1000 ($1,440).

Security advisor Robert Podesta hid behind the organ in Dornoch Cathedral, Sutherland in order to film the star-studded occasion.

Podesta took up his place 24 hours before the singer and her then fiance, Guy Ritchie, gathered with guests for the baptism. He filmed the service for 24 minutes before being caught leaving the building.

Sheriff Ian Cameron fined Podesta at Dornoch Sheriff court and said that what he had done amounted to a "clandestine intrusion on a private religious ceremony."

At an earlier hearing Podesta, of Orcop, western England, had admitted conducting himself in a disorderly manner likely to cause concern.

Cameron, who had previously ordered the videotape to be destroyed, also criticised the private security firm Madonna had hired for allowing Podesta to record the service.

Defence Lawyer Craig Wood said Podesta had not expected to succeed: "Had a search been properly carried out by those employed there he would have been found. Had they done it properly he would not have got away with it."

Podesta left the court without commenting to reporters.



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