UK rocker Doherty arrested on drug charges

LONDON, Nov 19 (Reuters) Pete Doherty, lead singer with the British rock band Babyshambles, has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of possessing crack cocaine, police said today.

Doherty was arrested yesterday, along with another man and woman, after police spotted him driving erratically in east London.

''They've been bailed to return to a police station in December,'' a police spokesman told Reuters.

In September a magistrate deferred sentencing Doherty on a string of drug offences.

Doherty, 27, who tabloid newspapers continue to link romantically with model Kate Moss, was told at Thames Magistrates Court in east London to appear again in December.

The singer had pleaded guilty on August 18 to four charges of possessing class A drugs including heroin and cocaine and one charge of possessing cannabis.

He had been arrested in April, just hours after receiving a community order for previous drug offences.

Doherty cancelled part of a British tour with his band Babyshambles in October to give himself more time to recover from his drug addiction treatment.

Reuters MQA DB1832