A U.K. court fined former Conservative justice minister Crispin Blunt £1,200 (about $1,600) on Wednesday after he admitted possessing crystal meth, cannabis, and sedative drugs, following revelations he hosted chemsex, a sexual gathering where participants use drugs to enhance sexual activity.
The 65-year-old former Member of Parliament for Reigate, Surrey, U.K., who served from 1997 to 2024, pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing drugs at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. He also received a £480 (approx. $640) victim surcharge and £200 (approx. $260) in costs, The Guardian reported. Blunt represented himself in court and told the bench he had originally considered a jury trial to argue that drug possession should not be a criminal offence.
In a 30-minute statement, he criticized the legal system, saying politicians take the easy moral stance that drugs are bad and illegal, without considering the serious problems that approach causes. He suggested that his advocacy on drug policy reform, trans rights, and support for Palestinians may have contributed to the decision to charge him, according to Sky News.
Prosecutor Zarah Dickinson said Blunt’s actions stemmed from his professional experience in government. She said that after coming out as gay, Blunt saw first-hand the harm caused by the government’s drug policy during his time as justice minister. Dickinson added that Blunt later took part in the chemsex scene and that his personal experience with drugs helped shape his ideas on government drug policies, Sky News reported.
Police raided Blunt’s house in Surrey, in October 2023 as part of a broader investigation connected to a chemsex party. Officers found £200 to £250 (approx. $260 to $320) worth of crystal meth on his bedside table, £200 (approx. $260) of GBL — a chemical that acts as a sedative when used as a drug — in a syringe stored in a laptop bag, and cannabis valued under £10, along with weighing scales that had powder residue. Dickinson said Blunt remained calm throughout the raid, pointing out the drugs to officers, The Guardian reported.
Blunt told the court that a builder who supplied drugs blackmailed him and falsely accused him of rape. Blunt said no charges were brought over the allegation after an 18-month investigation. He admitted handing over £2,000 (approx. $2,600) to the blackmailer to buy some time before reporting the matter to police, The Guardian reported.
Dickinson said Blunt’s crimes were aggravated by his role hosting parties and facilitating drug use by others, Sky News reported. Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram noted Blunt’s service as a public official and said his actions risked undermining public confidence in parliamentarians. Despite this, the court allowed Blunt to pay fines and surcharges without custodial sentences, The Guardian reported.
(Featured Image Media Credit: Joe Gratz/Flickr)
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