Patricia Hewitt's son apologises after being fined £250 for cocaine
The son of former health secretary Patricia Hewitt publicly apologised to her in court today after he was fined £250 for buying cocaine.
Telesales worker Nicholas Hewitt Birtles said sorry to the MP and his father, who is a crown court judge, after he was caught with a £150 lump of the class-A drug.
The 21-year-old told police the drugs were for "personal use" after he was arrested in a car this month in Camden.
At Highbury Corner magistrates' court today it emerged he had received two previous — but unspecified — police cautions.
Defence solicitor Anthony Burton told the court: "Of particular distress to him is that as a result of this matter significant publicity has been attracted which has fallen on his family.
"He is deeply distressed about the consequences of his actions so far as his family is concerned. So through me he apologises publicly to them."
Prosecutor Emily Maunders said Hewitt Birtles, whose father is Judge William Birtles who sits at Snaresbrook crown court, was spotted in the passenger seat of a car in Camden Square, shortly after 8pm on 19 September.
She said: "There was a man standing outside the passenger door and as officers approached they noted the defendant threw something Arrested: Nicholas Hewitt Birtles arriving at court today where he pleaded guilty out.
"It was found to be a blue and white plastic bag wrap. This contained a cube-sized lump of white powder. He stated it was for personal use.
"It was tested at the police station and confirmed as cocaine. He was tested and was positive for cocaine."
Hewitt Birtles was arrested and spent the night in custody.
Mr Burton said: "He immediately fell on his sword and accepted it was a controlled drug. As far as drugs are concerned he is not a regular user, he is a recreational user and readily admits he had purchased on this occasion this small quantity of cocaine."
Chairwoman of the bench Ruth Lipton imposed a £250 fine with £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
She told him: "We have taken into account your guilty plea. We are not going to deal with you by way of a conditional discharge because you have had two cautions."
The court heard that Hewitt Birtles, of Camden, had started a telesales job two weeks ago and earns about £240 per week.
Today he spoke only to confirm his personal details and his guilty plea to one count of possessing a class-A drug. Neither of his parents was in court.
Ms Hewitt, Labour MP for Leicester West, spent two years as health secretary before stepping down in 2007.
