29 September 2003 - Some anguished Libertines fans read this piece of news in the papers:
"Jailed LIBERTINES rocker PETE DOHERTY's prison sentence has been slashed on appeal - and he could be a free man within days.
Doherty - who has admitted to a heroin and crack cocaine addiction - is currently incarcerated at London's WANDSWORTH PRISON after being sentenced on burglary charges, but today (29SEP03) he had his original six month term reduced to just two.
The frontman was jailed earlier this month (SEP03) after he admitted breaking into fellow Libertine CARL BARAT's flat and stealing an antique guitar, video recorder, a laptop, mouth organ and a CD player.
Doherty's lawyer RICHARD LOCKE told the appeal hearing at MIDDLESEX GUILDHALL CROWN COURT, England, the burglary was an impulsive and unplanned act motivated by "feelings of anger and betrayal by his closest friend".
He told the court, "He is a 24 year old who had suddenly come into a bit of fame and a bit of money and clearly has a drug habit.
"Having visited my client in prison he has impressed on me that the prison sentence has done him the world of good. The complaint he has is that there was no credit for a guilty plea."
Reducing the sentence, JUDGE DEREK INMAN said, "We feel that a custodial sentence was justified in this case but sufficient credit was not given for his timely plea of guilty which it should have been.
"We have reduced his sentence to two months which will allow for his almost immediate release."
Doherty has already served three weeks in prison and may only have to endure one more week inside, once time off for good behaviour is taken into consideration".
Doherty - who has admitted to a heroin and crack cocaine addiction - is currently incarcerated at London's WANDSWORTH PRISON after being sentenced on burglary charges, but today (29SEP03) he had his original six month term reduced to just two.
The frontman was jailed earlier this month (SEP03) after he admitted breaking into fellow Libertine CARL BARAT's flat and stealing an antique guitar, video recorder, a laptop, mouth organ and a CD player.
Doherty's lawyer RICHARD LOCKE told the appeal hearing at MIDDLESEX GUILDHALL CROWN COURT, England, the burglary was an impulsive and unplanned act motivated by "feelings of anger and betrayal by his closest friend".
He told the court, "He is a 24 year old who had suddenly come into a bit of fame and a bit of money and clearly has a drug habit.
"Having visited my client in prison he has impressed on me that the prison sentence has done him the world of good. The complaint he has is that there was no credit for a guilty plea."
Reducing the sentence, JUDGE DEREK INMAN said, "We feel that a custodial sentence was justified in this case but sufficient credit was not given for his timely plea of guilty which it should have been.
"We have reduced his sentence to two months which will allow for his almost immediate release."
Doherty has already served three weeks in prison and may only have to endure one more week inside, once time off for good behaviour is taken into consideration".
Peter's arrest is seen by many people as the main key event that eventually led to the break up with Carl Barat and subsequently of the Libertines, but probably it was only one of the steps of the ladder that precipitated the band's downfall. Prior to that, Peter had been ostracized by the band during the European tour, and in reaction he had broken into Carl's flat while the Libertines were at the Fuji Festival in Japan. Pete's lawyer talked about "an impulsive and unplanned act motivated by feelings of anger and betrayal by his closest friend". Many people believed his words, first of all Carl Barat. As we all know, the two made up a few weeks later, but we'll talk about that on the appropriate day.
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