Linda & Paul McCartney charged with drug possession in Barbados

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Paul McCartney, his wife Linda and their family were in Barbados for two weeks of holiday, when based on a tip-off, their villa was raided by the local police, and some marijuana was found. From UPI, January 17, 1984:

[…] The couple was arrested in Bridgetown, Barbados Sunday for possessing just under half an ounce of marijuana, police said. They pleaded guilty — four years to the day after McCartney was arrested at the Tokyo airport for travelling into Japan with half a pound of marijuana. The Jan. 16, 1980, arrest forced the cancellation of his tour of Japan and the star spent nine days in a Tokyo jail before being deported.

‘I’ve got absolutely no grudges,’ McCartney said at Heathrow of the Barbados incident. ‘It was a small amount of cannabis and I intended to use it but the police came to my place and I gave them 10 grams of cannabis. Linda had another small carton of cannabis in her handbag.’ […]

He and his wife had been vacationing on the Caribbean island for two weeks when police, acting on a tip, raided the rented home where they were staying in St. James parish Sunday.

McCartney, one of the world’s wealthiest and most successful musicians, appeared before Judge Haynes Blackman with his wife and pleaded guilty to possession of 10 grams of marijuana.

Mrs. McCartney, an American photographer who frequently accompanies her husband in recordings, admitted possessing seven grams. There are 28.4 grams in an ounce.

The McCartneys, who said nothing in court, were represented by Barbadian lawyer David Simmonds, who told the judge McCartney had a considerable international reputation.

‘He is a very talented and creative person,’ Simmonds said of the former Beatle. ‘People who have this talent sometimes need inspiration.’

Blackman said the McCartneys cooperated with police and fined them $100 each or 14 days in jail. They paid the fine immediately and left the courthouse.

Chief Immigration officer Kenrick Hutson said the couple was not deported and would be allowed back into Barbados. They had been booked on the Monday night flight to London before the incident occurred.

We received a tip-off that they were in possession of marijuana. Four uniformed officers went round to the McCartneys holiday villa with a search warrant. Mr. McCartney freely admitted his guilt and accompanied the officers to the police station.

Alan Long, police inspector from the Barbados local police

Music-wise, Paul McCartney took the opportunity of those holidays to write two songs for Barbados band IVORY.

Last updated on February 20, 2024