THE SON of celebrity chef Marco Pierre White plans to check into rehab after his latest class A drugs conviction, a court heard.

Marco Pierre White Jnr, who is expected to spend 12 weeks in the recovery programme, this morning admitted possession of class A drugs and skipping a £30 taxi fare and £34 pub bill. The 24-year-old has previously spoken of his struggles with cocaine.

The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant appeared in the dock at Swindon Magistrates Court on Thursday morning. White handed himself in to police earlier in the day after Swindon magistrates issued a warrant for the man’s arrest. He had failed to appear before the court on Wednesday to answer charges of theft, drugs possession and assault.

Wearing a white shirt, blazer, skinny jeans and his shoulder-length blond hair in a bun, White, of Rudloe Hall, Corsham, admitted being in possession of 204 oxycodone tablets, an opioid painkiller and a class A drug, in Box in February.

He also pleaded guilty to making off without paying the £30 fare to the taxi driver who had taken him home to his father’s Rudloe Arms Hotel on March 12 and leaving the Northey Arms, Box, on January 25 without paying for his £34.60 meal.

However, White pleaded not guilty to assaulting two women at the Rudloe Arms Hotel.

Gordon Hotson, defending, suggested his client had since refunded the pub. He also confirmed his client would be attending rehab for 12 weeks from July 13.

No explanation was given about why White had failed to appear before magistrates on Wednesday. A warrant for his arrest without bail was withdrawn.

JPs bailed White to be tried on the two assault charges on September 19 at Swindon Magistrates' Court. Amanda Lee, chairman of the bench, told the defendant he would be sentenced for the other matters after the trial.