Pete Doherty has set a personal record with not one but two court dates in as many days.
The preternaturally troubled rocker returned to court Thursday for sentencing on the seven counts of drug possession he was charged with Tuesday, all of which stemmed from a string of recent arrests.
Doherty's arrival at Thames Magistrates Court in east London was quickly followed by his departure--his case was adjourned until Mar. 23 to allow both sides more time to prepare.
The judge granted the postponement after prosecution argued that interview tapes relating to the case were unavailable in court and that a series of statements taken by police were missing.
Doherty's attorney, Sean Curran, also requested the extra time in order to clarify two incidents relating to the bevy of charges. Doherty was released on unconditional bail until the hearing date.
Doherty was charged Tuesday with two counts of heroin possession, two of crack cocaine possession and three counts of possessing cannabis and cannabis resin. The litany of counts may sound familiar to Doherty watchers: The rocker pleaded guilty to seven counts of drug possession on Feb. 8--for a series of separate arrests--for which he received a sentence of rehab and required monthly check-ups for the next year.
The latest charges came following police raids taking place on Dec. 18 and Jan. 14 at two separate addresses in Clapton, East London. Officers at Scotland Yard formally filed the charges Wednesday morning.
But although the notorious Kate Moss ex didn't quite get his full day in court Thursday, it didn't stop him from making the most of his ever-increasing time in the spotlight.
The singer put on quite the show for the throng of reporters. Before leaving the courthouse, Doherty stuck his head out of a window and serenaded the assembled media with several songs on his harmonica.
Soon after, he caused another spectacle when he dashed into his gold Jaguar and scrawled "I [love] Kate 4 eva" on the windshield in thick blue marker from the inside of his car. He followed up his makeshift valentine with the letters "QPR" in honor of his favorite soccer team, Queens Park Rangers, before driving off.
On Wednesday, shortly after the charges were filed against him, the 26-year-old rocker was in the same court for the first of his required monthly check-ins stemming from that guilty plea last month, during which Doherty received what may be the best news he's ever gotten from a judge.
Despite arriving 30 minutes late and testing positive in two court-ordered drug tests, District Justice Jane McIvor commended the singer for making "positive progress" in his battle to give up illegal substances.
Although McIvor acknowledged that Doherty had dirty tests on Feb. 23 and Feb. 28, the results had been lower than expected.
"It is not expected to get a negative test in the first review period but I hope that opiate replacement will happen in the next period," the judge said.
Doherty's attorney, Curran, told the court that his client was determined to succeed at his rehab, and that doctors hoped to put the singer on opiate replacements in the near future. He told the judge that a negative drug test was a "genuinely achievable objective."
"It is very good progress and clearly a positive start," Judge McIvor said. "It seems that his determination is increasing."
McIvor failed to mention either Doherty's new charges or his Feb. 28 arrest in Birmingham on suspicion of car theft and possession of Class A drugs after police fond him driving the wrong way on a one-way street. He was briefly questioned and released on bail. No charges have formally been filed in that incident.
Doherty's next progress report before McIvor will be Apr. 12.
Asked outside court Wednesday if he's going to kick his habit, Doherty replied, "What? Them? Sure, I'll do that."