Ex-Tory justice minister 'used chemsex parties to inform government drug policies'

Former Tory justice minister Crispin Blunt who admitted drugs charges used chemsex parties to inform government drug policies, a court has been told.

Blunt, the MP for Reigate in Surrey between 1997 and 2024, admitted four counts of possessing drugs, including crystal meth, at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

He has been fined £1200 with a £480 victim surcharge and £200 costs.

Blunt, a justice minister in the Cameron administration between 2010 and 2012, made a 30 minute speech during which he told the court he should never have faced criminal charges.

He said he had considered taking the case to a jury trial, to argue that he should be acquitted on the basis that the charges of possession of drugs should not exist.

His house in Horley, Surrey, was raided by police in October 2023 in relation to separate allegations of rape, which were later dropped.

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Blunt told the court on Wednesday that possession of drugs charges against a first-time offender usually end with an out-of-court caution, and hinted at a belief that his political views on drugs reform, trans rights, and support for Palestinians may lie behind the case brought against him.

He also suggested former prime minister Rishi Sunak was "complicit in war crimes" over his support for Israel after the October 7 atrocity.

Prosecutor Zarah Dickinson told the court: "It was the first time he had come out as a gay man, and during his ministerial role he saw first hand the harm caused by the government's drug policy."

She added: "He began to take a professional interest in a policy that inflicted lasting harm on society.

"Then he began his involving in the chemsex scene.

"His knowledge of first hand use of drugs was used to inform how policies could be implemented."

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According to Ms Dickinson, Blunt was "polite" and "calm" when his house was raided - and pointed out the drugs to officers.

During his interview, Blunt explained how he would host chemsex parties and how the use of GBL would be limited to once per hour.

Dickinson said crystal meth worth between £200 and £250 was found on Blunt's bedside, as well as around £200 of GBL in a syringe in a laptop bag.

Cannabis worth less than £10 was also found, alongside weighing scales with residue from powders on them.

Ms Dickinson said the investigation began following "offences alleged to have occurred during a chemsex party at Mr Blunt's home address in September 2023".

The 65-year-old pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing drugs - one count of class A and three of class B - at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

The drugs he admitted having were the sedative GBL, alongside cannabis, methamphetamine and methylamphetamine - the last of which is currently known as crystal meth.

Blunt told Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram on Wednesday that he believes politicians have failed to properly consider drug policy reform.

They have "sat with moral simplicity that drugs are bad, they are banned, without regard to the appalling consequences of that simple position", he said. "It keeps politicians safe on the moral high ground."

Following the raid on his house in 2023, Blunt announced he would not be standing in the 2024 general election.

(c) Sky News 2026: Ex-Tory justice minister 'used chemsex parties to inform government drug policies'