Pete Doherty has been fined for turning up to court with heroin in his coat pocket.

The Babyshambles singer was arrested in December in Gloucester Crown Court, when security guards saw 13 wraps of heroin fall from his pocket.

Doherty was waiting in the corridor of the court, having just been fined for careless driving.

At Gloucester Magistrates' Court today, District Judge Joti Boparai said: 'Either this was sheer stupidity or a ploy to get more publicity.'

The court heard that Doherty was not 'mickey taking' and had simply forgotten that the class A drugs were in one of his countless coats.

It was ruled that it wouldn't be worth taking funds from the 'public purse' to put Pete on a rehabilitation order, as he is already paying for private drug treatment.

Doherty was charged with possession of heroin and fined £750 plus £85 costs.

(by James Glazebrook)