Mike Tyson jailed for 24 hours for drug possession

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was sentenced to 24 hours in jail and three years probation today for drug possession and driving under the influence.

The court in Mesa, Arizona, heard Tyson pleaded guilty in September to charges arising from an incident last year when he was stopped in his BMW after leaving a nightclub.

Police said the 41-year-old boxer was driving erratically before they stopped him.

According to court documents, when officers approached Tyson's black BMW, they saw him wiping a white substance off the dashboard.

Authorities found bags of cocaine in Tyson's pocket and in his car.

In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape in Indiana. In 1999, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanour assault charges in Maryland.