Doherty faces jail if he defies drive ban

Pete Doherty has been warned that he faces jail if he breaks a driving ban.

Doherty, 27, appeared at Thames magistrates' court yesterday charged with driving without insurance and an appropriate licence.

The charges related to an incident on 18 November when officers saw the Babyshambles frontman driving his blue Jaguar erratically in east London.

Tanyia Dogra, for prosecution, said: "He was asked to produce the documents and he could not do so."

Sean Curran, for the defence, said: "Mr Doherty accepts that he was driving with no licence and insurance. He had left the task of getting an insurance policy in the hands of one of his managers, who hadn't done so. He has passed a driving test but he has never applied for a licence. He doesn't have a licence, or has ever had one, but he is entitled to have one. He was driving to the airport for a trip to Portugal to get an implant."

Doherty was fined £300 and banned from driving for two months. He was also ordered to pay £55 costs.

District Judge Jane McIvor told Doherty: "If you drive a vehicle before that date [12 April] you risk at least a community judgment or, with your record, a likely custodial sentence." Two other driving-related charges were withdrawn.