An Indonesian court sentenced the younger brother of British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay to 10 months in prison Thursday for heroin possession on Bali island, a judge said.
Ronald Ramsay, 39, was also given a $530 fine, said presiding Judge I Wayan Mertha of the Denpasar District Court.? The defendant, who was arrested in February with 100 milligrams (0.004 ounce) of heroin in his pocket during a search outside a supermarket, sat quietly as the ruling was read out. He said he has not yet decided if he will file an appeal.? Under Indonesia’s tough drug laws, Ramsay could have faced up to 10 years in jail, but the panel of three judges decided to be lenient after he pleaded guilty and expressed remorse, Mertha said.
The defendant’s lawyer, Erwin Siregar, told reporters the sentence was too harsh because the heroin was intended for personal use, not for distribution. His client has for years struggled with drug addiction.? Source
