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X Factor pair exposed as knife thug and stripper
By Georgina Littlejohn, London Lite Last updated at 12:55pm on 24.09.09An X Factor hopeful was today exposed as a knife-wielding wannabe gangster who terrorised his home town.
Curtis Moore, 16, who wowed the judges with his live audition on Saturday's show, is seen on his Bebo page brandishing a blade as he stares menacingly into the camera.
Hopefuls: Amie Buck is a topless dancer and Curtis Moore has been convicted of burglary
Another photo on the social networking site shows him posing with his hands pointing like guns.
According to a former neighbour, the singing teenager, who wears an electronic tag, used to cause trouble around his home town of Redditch, Worcestershire.
At Moore's audition, he admitted to the judges that he spent time in a young offenders institution after being convicted of burglary and theft following the death of his brother.
But his old neighbour told The Sun that Moore used to carry a knife and hang around in a gang of about 10 other youths. S
He said: “Curtis used to cause so much trouble and carried a knife. He shoplifted mainly with lads older than him and even attempted stealing a bike the young owner was sat on in the middle of a busy bus station. I once disarmed him of a Stanley knife when he ran after another young man.”
Moore made it through to the next round of the ITV talent show, although he was told off by judge Simon Cowell for “being such a smart a**e” and ordered to drop his attitude.
It was also revealed today that another singing contestant works as a lap dancer. Amie Buck, 22, told X Factor bosses that she worked as a personal trainer in Newcastle.
But at weekends she works as a topless dancer and can earn up to £500 a week. A friend said she is so popular that she earned enough to pay for a boob job.
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Reader views (14)
Allowing Curtis Moore to stay on in the Xfactor, sends out a completely wrong message that you can rob, steal, use guns and knives etc and once you have terrorised your neighborhood get away with a lame excuse that I need this audition to turn my life around. I went into care at the age of 18 months and came out at the age of 18 years. I have seen everything there is to see in the care system but it did not make me want to join a gang or threaten people. I myself went for an audition at the xfactor, got there at 8.30 in the morning and was kept waiting until 11.15pm at night. Now that’s what I call treating innocent people as criminals. By the time they saw me they were not interested in listening as the staff acting as judges had been there all day too. It seems to me another case of the criminal getting preferential treatment over the victims. If there were a newspaper really willing to take this matter on, then I would be more than happy on behalf of that newspaper to take on the criminal on behalf of the victims. And I would do that for no charge at all.
- James Brown, London England
Here they come, the "hang 'em high" brigade banging their worn out drum of wisdom demanding that no one must be given a second chance.
The kid is 16, ONLY 16, at least he is trying to get himself a future away from the crime scene using a talent bestowed upon him.
Give the kid a chance, no doubt like YOU were once given a second chance.
- Mike Coventry, Cheshunt Hertfordshire.
Mandy - I thought she should have been kicked out also, yes. Where do you think she is now eh? Probably still opening her big mouth to everyone, and most probably does not have her kids back. Since when did it become 'Rehibilitation Factor'???? I don't want to watch their false sob stories about how their life was so bad growing up in poverty that they had to turn to drugs and crime. I grew up in ''extreme'' poverty however I have never chosen those paths because my mind and my morales are stronger than that.
- Jc, London
Ok, she's a stripper, that doesn't make her a bad person, she's not a criminal!
Leave her alone.
He's bad though.
- Sally, Ealing, London
what is your point keith? aren't those necessary items for ladies?
- William Jenkins, london
They sound like the dregs of society to me.
- Judith, KIng's Lynn, Norfolk, UK
The boy should definitely be booted off with immediate effect?? why!!!! he's got rights to be there as much as anybody else. why judge curtis on what hes done?? no bodys perfect are you?? every bodys done things in there life which is bad..so what!! that is the past and hes learning from it..give him a break. how many super stars have done alot worse...ur all jealouse and spiteful..the news papers are full of it and if you knew the lad properly then ur think different. ive known him since he was a baby and very good friends of his family and yes that means his brother. dont judge him from what you hear. every body diserves a right to prove themselfs in life...i shall be voting for curtis every step of the way cause i know he can do it
- Donna Dimmack Aka Osborne, Redditch
Jc surely a better example would be to keep him in the show and demonstrate how with hard work, and admittedly a lucky break, you can turn your life around!
I seem to recall that one of the finalists last year, Rachel Hylton, a reformed drug addict who had served a prison sentence for assault and burglary and subsequently lost custody of 3 of her 5 children? Did you also demand that she be kicked out to make an example of her too?
- Mandy, London
It's a singing competition, not a "Great British Citizens" competition.
I don't like the lad and he's obviously got a bit of history, but if he finds a way out of it as a result of bridges being built for him to explore his talent then good luck to him. If he really wants to turn his life around then he could win the show. If he doesn't want to then he won't. At least he'll be off the streets whilst the competition's on the go. I don't think he should be kicked off the show - loads of famous people have had criminal records. Hugh Grant, Keanu Reeves, Bill Gates, Dennis Hopper, Mickey Rourke and - the most famous and talented of all, Vanilla Ice - have all been on the wrong side of the law.
As for the girl, she's attractive and people will pay her for that. She might be doing her job just to pay the bills, or she may be doing it because she enjoys it - again, it's up to her whether she wants a career in music enough. I didn't think she was a particularly great singer but the music business is exactly that - a business. She's already proven that there's money to be made from her looks, and if some of that money can go in Simon Cowell's pocket then he'll be happy to take it.
- Kieran, Upminster
Wiliam - what's to stop the stripper using the winnings to buy even bigger boobs or some decent clothes?
- Keith Price, Luton England
this show is about giving people opportunity.
the stripper will use it to get out of her current lifestyle however the knife thug, he is all what is wrong with young people today. he seems obnoxious and will just beome a bigger trouble maker.
I say kick him off the show. no doubt he will end up in prison either way.
- William Jenkins, london
Well isn't it then better that he is showing off his positive traits rather than going further down the slippery path? If getting something positive from this experience, even if it is some belief in himself, means one less knife weilding kid on the street, surely that is a good thing?
- Smb, London, UK
These youngsters have made mistakes which hopefully they regret. However, they're still young enough to make a change and should be encouraged to find a more positive path.
- Whitters, Surrey
The boy should definitely be booted off with immediate effect. Whether the X Factor is your bag or not, there's no doubt it is a family show watched by millions of teenagers and young children. He should be made an example of to send a stern warning that such behavoiur is not tolerated in today's society.
- Jc, London
