Widdecombe backs Doherty jail ruling

Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe has claimed that an example should be made of incarcerated musician Pete Doherty.

The former Home Office Minister said the decision of West London Magistrates' Court to jail the singer for 14 weeks was "long overdue".

"The fact that he got away with it for so long was sending out the wrong signals," she said. "This is long overdue.

"When someone is in the public eye and sets the wrong example there should be a crackdown. Rehabilitation does not go far enough in Pete's case, because we need to send out a signal that what he was doing was illegal."

She added: "It's good that an example has been made of him."

Doherty's jail term for breaching a probation order forced the rocker to postpone a solo show at the Royal Albert Hall. He may also miss his scheduled performance at this year's Glastonbury Festival.