Pete, after claming his was almost clean (bar the odd dabbling and his ongoing consumption of his own weight in booze), was found in a compromising position on a British Airways flight from London to Switzerland on Friday.
He didn't just whip out the foil and started chasing the dragon for all his fellow passengers to see, no, he had the decency to take himself off to the jacks. But, as they're fitted with smoke alarms, he decided the needle route was the only way to go. Next thing everyone else knew (Pete wasn't conscious at the time to have much of an opinion), the 30-year-old singer was found by one of the cabin crew slumped in the cubicle. Rock 'n roll.
A source said: "The singer was flying from London to Geneva, Switzerland on Friday ahead of a planned concert in the country. But cabin crew on the British Airways flight became concerned when they allegedly found the star slumped in the aircraft's lavatory. He was believed to be intoxicated and was returned to his seat, but flight staff alerted police when a hypodermic needle was later found on the plane. Doherty, who has been battling addictions to heroin and crack cocaine for more than five years, was arrested and questioned by cops when the plane touched down at Geneva airport. The former Libertines frontman was charged with an unspecified offense and handed a fine before being released later that day."
Returned to his seat? Imagine that sight slithering towards you. His pupils pin pricked, skin swimming above his bones like pale fleshy oil slick. Hair sweating down his face, and quite possibly the bang of wee off him (anyone who's larking around a plane toilet for an inordinate amount of time is bound to absorb the hum of piddle, simple fact).
A spokesman for Geneva police said: "We were contacted by the captain of a BA flight and a passenger was controlled by the police. He was charged but I cannot say what with. He paid a fine and was allowed to go." To "perform as scheduled at the Neuchatel Open Air Festival." I'd say he played a blinder...
