January 27, 2010 13:56

Pete Doherty fined for taking 13 wraps of heroin to court

Babyshambles man was 40 minutes late for court hearing

Photo Gallery: Pete Doherty
Photo: Tom Oxley

Pete Doherty has been fined £750 for being found with four grams of heroin in his coat pocket while at Gloucester Crown Court on driving charges last month (December 21).

Doherty, who was 40 minutes late to today's (January 27) hearing at Gloucester Magistrates Court, claimed that he had not realised the heroin was in his coat pocket. The court heard that when the Babyshambles frontman had been asked to empty out his pockets by court staff on December 21 a plastic bag containing 13 individual wraps of the drug fell onto the floor.

District Judge Joti Bopa Rai questioned Doherty's motives behind the incident, saying: "Either this was sheer stupidity or a ploy to get more publicity."

The singer's lawyer, Bruce Clark, denied the allegation against his client that he had taken the drugs to court on purpose, reports BBC News.

As well as the £750 fine Doherty was ordered to pay £100 in court costs. Judge Bopa Rai also said she was concerned that he still hadn't paid the £2,210 fine imposed on him at his December 21 court appearance and ordered him to do so immediately, reports Thisiswiltshire.co.uk.

Doherty said that he had relied on his accountant to settle the payment, but Judge Bopa Rai stressed that it was his responsibility.