Crispin Blunt, a former Conservative MP and justice minister, has been fined £1,200 for possessing illegal drugs. According to The Guardian, Blunt pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court to four charges of possessing methamphetamine (commonly known as crystal meth), cannabis, and the chemical sedative GBL.
Key Takeaways
Crispin Blunt, former Conservative MP and justice minister, was fined £1,200 for possessing illegal drugs including crystal meth and cannabis. He pleaded guilty to four charges at Westminster Magistrates' Court after police found drugs during a raid on his Surrey home in October 2023.
- Crispin Blunt admitted to possessing class A and B drugs
- Police found crystal meth, GBL, and cannabis during a raid on his home
- Blunt claimed he attended chemsex parties to inform government drug policy
- He was fined £1,200 plus additional costs and surcharges
- Blunt suggested political views may have influenced the charges
The drugs were discovered when police raided his Surrey home on October 25, 2023, following a chemsex party. Blunt represented himself in court and claimed that he had been a victim of blackmail and extortion by his drug dealer, who accused him of rape. No charges were brought over the rape allegation after an 18-month investigation.
The Guardian reported that Blunt criticized the decision to charge him and suggested all drugs should be legal. He argued that his first-hand experience with chemsex parties helped inform his campaign for drug policy reform. Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram noted that as a former minister, Blunt served as a role model and that his actions risked undermining confidence in parliamentarians.
BBC added that Blunt was under investigation on suspicion of rape when officers discovered the drugs. He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing class A drugs and three charges of possession of class B drugs. Blunt suggested that his political views on drug policy reform, trans rights, and support for Palestinians may have influenced the case against him.
Sky News highlighted that Blunt made a 30-minute speech during which he argued he should never have faced criminal charges. He hinted that former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was 'complicit in war crimes' over his support for Israel after the October 7 atrocity. Prosecutor Zarah Dickinson told the court that Blunt's involvement in chemsex parties informed his interest in drug policy reform.
The court heard that crystal meth worth between £200 and £250 was found on Blunt's bedside table, along with a syringe containing GBL and a bag of cannabis valued at less than £10. Blunt was ordered to pay a £480 victim surcharge in addition to the fine and £200 in costs.
Blunt served as parliamentary under-secretary of state for prisons and youth justice from 2010 to 2012, chaired the Foreign Affairs Committee from 2015 to 2017, and lost the Conservative whip in October 2023 when he was first arrested by police. He stood down as an MP at the 2024 general election.
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