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Hewitt's son fined £250 over drugs
30.09.09
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The son of former health secretary Patricia Hewitt has been fined £250 after pleading guilty to possessing cocaine.
Nicholas Hewitt Birtles, 21, apologised through his solicitor to his family and said he was "deeply distressed" about the consequences of his actions for them.
He was also ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Birtles, a retail sales representative, was sitting in the passenger seat of a parked car in Camden Square in north London when it was approached by police on September 19, Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court heard.
Emily Maunders, prosecuting, said Birtles, whose father is Judge William Birtles, admitted at the scene that it was cocaine and repeated this admission in interview with the police. She added that, at the police station, he had tested positive for cocaine.
Addressing the chairman of the magistrates, Lady Ruth Lipton, she said he had no convictions but "relevant cautions".
Defending, solicitor Anthony Burton said Birtles "immediately fell on his sword" when discovered with the cocaine, accepting that it was a controlled drug and repeating that admission during interview.
He said that, as far as drugs were concerned, Birtles was not a regular user and was a recreational user. "On this occasion he had purchased this small quantity of cocaine."
He continued: "He apologises to the court for the offence and underlines that through his plea. What is particularly distressing to him is that, as a result of this matter, significant publicity has been attracted that has fallen on his family and he is deeply distressed about the consequences of his actions so far as his family are concerned. If I may, through me, he apologises to them publicly."
The court heard that he had £150 worth of cocaine in his possession at the time.
