Peaky Blinders star Paul Anderson, who plays Arthur Shelby, caught with crack cocaine
The performer portraying Tommy Shelby’s brother, Paul Anderson, known for his role as Arthur Shelby in Peaky Blinders, was apprehended with crack cocaine during a festive pub gathering on Boxing Day in London.
The 48-year-old actor, part of the acclaimed BBC series alongside Cillian Murphy, faced charges after law enforcement responded to an incident at a pub in Camden on December 26 around 6:30 pm.
Anderson, who appeared in court on January 25 at Highbury Magistrates’ Court, confessed to possessing not only crack cocaine but also class B amphetamines and two class C prescription substances. The indictment detailed that the Peaky Blinders star was in possession of crack cocaine, amphetamines, Diazepam, and Pregabalin.
A spokesman from the Met Police said: “Police were called at about 18:30hrs on 26 December 2023 to West End Lane in Camden.
“Officers attended and arrested a man.
“Paul Anderson, 48, of West Hampstead, was later charged with two counts of possession of Class A drugs and two counts of possession of Class C drugs.
“He appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 25 January.”
Anderson purportedly got caught when a fellow patron at the pub detected the presence of crack cocaine fumes. In his defense, his lawyer informed the court that he had found himself in an “unfortunate position” and had attempted to emulate his character, as reported by MailOnline. Anderson, known for his role in the Kray twins biopic Legend alongside Tom Hardy, was fined approximately $2500 (£1,345).
The conviction is now anticipated to pose significant challenges for an upcoming Peaky Blinders film, currently in the works by screenwriter Steven Knight. An insider disclosed to MailOnline that the conviction might have a “substantial impact” on the sequel, making it challenging to “reprise the role” of Arthur Shelby, despite his being a “pivotal character.”
“The third option would be to cancel the entire thing,” they added.
Knight had previously informed fans that the spin-off movie is expected to be “in cinemas by Spring 2024.” While the exact details of the film’s plot remain somewhat ambiguous, Knight has mentioned that it will integrate real-life stories from World War II connected to the titular group.
“I’ve had this in mind for quite a while now, a story with the Peakys during the Second World War and I’ve picked up three true stories that I’m integrating into the film,” Knight confirmed.
The Sun Online reached out to Paul Anderson’s representative for a statement.