Doherty pleads guilty to drug possession

TROUBLED singer Pete Doherty yesterday pleaded guilty to five counts of possessing drugs including heroin and crack cocaine.

The Babyshambles front man was arrested in April just hours after being sentenced to a two-year community order for previous drug offences.

Yesterday, the 27-year-old pleaded guilty at Thames Magistrates’ Court in east London to possessing heroin, cocaine, of which some was crack cocaine, and cannabis.

District Judge Alison Rose warned the singer, who lives in Laburnum Street, Haggerston, east London, he could face jail.

Doherty, who appeared in court wearing blue jeans, a white polo shirt and braces after spending the night in custody, also admitted to one count of possession on the August 7 this year, when he was found with a crack pipe and a small amount of crack cocaine.

Sentencing was adjourned until September 4, when he is due to return to Thames Magistrates’ Court.

All options were open to her, the judge said, and that “most definitely includes the possibility of custody”.

But Doherty’s counsel Sean Curran told the court that while the singer has not had a negative drugs test since the order was imposed, he was “positively” engaged with treatment and a negative result was a “realisable and achievable goal”.

“In terms of negative testing from what would be a starting point of February, there has been a substantial and tangible improvement not only in reduction in drug use but his physical health,” he said.

Doherty has recently had an implant fitted to help him fight his addiction, he said. Mr Curran said that when the singer was arrested on April 20, he had been clearing the illegal substances out of the car.

“He has only hurt himself by his drug addiction. He is in a position that he can fund it without criminal activity,” Mr Curran added.