Music Tuesday, 9 June 2009

Doherty fined for taking drugs on plane

Singer Pete Doherty has been fined by police in Geneva for heroin consumption during a flight from London, authorities said.

The 30-year-old rocker was picked up by officers after the one hour, 40-minute British Airways flight landed on Friday, and held for two hours, a police spokesman said.

Doherty then paid the fine and was released.

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The spokesman said Doherty was tested for heroin consumption, confirming a report in Swiss tabloid Le Matin.

But police declined to confirm the newspaper's report that Doherty was discovered by an air hostess collapsed in a toilet, with a used syringe nearby. Air staff then contacted the police, it said.

Doherty, lead singer of Babyshambles and former boyfriend of British model Kate Moss, has had well-publicised battles with drug use.

He served 29 days in prison last year after being caught with crack cocaine, heroin, ketamine and cannabis during a probation period.

British Airways said a passenger on the flight was arrested on arrival, but that the airline was legally barred from disclosing details.

Doherty was on his way to Switzerland to present his debut solo album at a festival in Neuchatel.

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