Pictures claiming to show troubled rocker Pete Doherty injecting cocaine in his home in Marlborough have today been published in a national newspaper.

A video shot on a mobile phone, apparently taken just hours after he claimed to be drugs free at an awards bash, shows Doherty crouched on the floor, holding a needle in his mouth.

He stares into the camera, "cooks up" the heroin on a spoon, and fills the syringe.

His head slumps forward as he injects it into his tattooed right arm.

The Sun newspaper says the video was taken at the Babyshambles star's home in Marlborough on Friday - hours after the MTV European Music Awards in Germany.

In the footage, he is wearing the green wristband from the previous night's ceremony - and is still in the same clothes he returned home in.

Just hours before the bash, 28-year-old Doherty - who recently completed six weeks in rehab - had joked to a TV reporter that he was "missing" hard drugs.

A source close to him said: "It's not the first time he's injected since he was supposed to have gone clean.

"He may have got clean through rehab, but as soon as the temptation is put in front of him, he cannot help himself. It's so sad to see. He's been given so many chances and so many fresh starts and he just throws them all away.

"It's not fair on those who have tried to help. It makes a mockery of the legal system.

"Anyone else would have been sent to jail by now."

Doherty has been warned numerous times that he faces jail if he does not kick his drug habit.

Just weeks ago - on October 24 - he was released from a drug treatment order by Thames Magistrates' Court after testing negative for crack cocaine and heroin.

Earlier he had told reporters outside: "I've had enough. It's just the beginning. My life has changed."

Two days later he was let off jail at West London Magistrates' Court, after admitting crack and heroin charges.

He was given a four-month suspended sentence and a 12-month drug rehab order.

With ironic timing, Doherty talks about "being clean" in tomorrow's issue of music mag NME.

He said: "It's hard work. I think I miss it a bit. It's sad, but I'm in mourning for an armful."