Most people facing charges of bringing drugs to a courtroom would probably end up serving some serious jail time. That is, most people. Not Pete Doherty.
The last time we checked in on the life and times of the Babyshambles frontman was in December when Doherty had just been arrested for heroin possession immediately after another courtroom episode where he was fined for driving under the influence.
It was while passing through courtroom security on that fateful day when a plastic bag described as containing “blue crystals” dropped out of his coat pocket. Police quickly arrested Doherty, and yesterday the 30-year-old singer found himself once again facing justice.
Charged with possessing 13 “wraps” of heroin, District Judge Joti Bopari of Gloucester Magistrates' Court described Doherty’s latest run-in with the law “sheer stupidity or a ploy to get more publicity” and fined him £750 ($1,219) and tacked on an additional £85 costs for court costs ($138).
Noting that Doherty was already paying for drug treatment, the judge ruled it would not be worth the public’s expense to order him into rehab, according to the BBC.
According to London’s Guardian newspaper, Doherty’s latest drug escapade was merely an honest mistake.
“He has a great many items of clothing, suits and clothes going into the hundreds,” Doherty’s defense lawyer Bruce Clark said. “There were residual drugs that he had left in one coat pocket. He didn’t necessarily choose the coat for himself.”
Click here to read the complete BBC account.
Click here to read the complete article in the Guardian.