A piece of lined paper on which George Harrison has signed his autograph in blue ballpoint pen. He has humorously added the message 'Best wishes from a criminal'. This was signed for the magistrates clerk at the court in Esher which George and Pattie attended on charges of possession of various drugs.

George and Pattie’s Kinfauns home was raided for drugs by Sgt Norman Pilcher of the drugs squad on the 12th March 1969, the day of Paul McCartney’s wedding to Linda Eastman. Pilcher’s squad took a large piece of marijuana with them to the raid and planted it to ensure that they were able to make a charge. Pilcher claimed to have found the marijuana in one of Harrison’s shoes. However, in an interview with The Times shortly after the bust, The Beatles guitarist took a different view: 'I’m a tidy man. I keep my socks in the sock drawer and stash in the stash drawer.' In The Beatles Anthology book George remembered: ‘They chose Paul’s wedding day to come and do a raid on me, and to this day I’m still having difficulty with my visa to America because of this fella. (Sgt Pilcher). He came out to my house with about eight other policemen, a policewoman and a police dog, who happened to be called Yogi – because, I suppose, of the Beatle connection with Maharishi. They thought they’d have a bit of fun. They took us off, fingerprinted us and we were busted. It was written in the papers like a fashion show: ‘George was wearing a yellow suit and his wife Pattie had on…’ Sgt. Pilcher was convicted in 1973 and sentenced to 4 years in prison for fabricating evidence.

Following a hearing on 18 March 1969, the trial took place on 31 March at Esher and Walton Magistrates’ Court. The Harrisons were found guilty of possession of cannabis and were each fined £250 plus 10 guineas each in costs. Upon leaving court George Harrison remarked, “I hope the police will leave us alone now.”

The autograph comes with a photocopy of the original court record for 31st March 1969. Also included in the lot is an original issue of the Daily Express newspaper dated March 13th 1969. The front cover features an article on George Harrison and Pattie Boyd facing drugs charges for possessing cannabis at their home in Esher, Surrey.

The autograph comes with a sixties black and white press photograph depicting George and Pattie leaving the court after the hearing.

The lined paper signed by George measures 20.5cm x 33cm (8 inches x 13 inches). There is a crease line running horizontally across the centre. The condition is excellent.

Provenance: comes with a letter from the daughter of the original recipient which reads as follows: ‘On 31st March 1969 George Harrison and his then wife Patricia Anne Harrison appeared at Esher & Walton Magistrates Court in relation to possessing cannabis. My late father was at the time the Magistrates Clerk of the court. The case obviously brought media coverage and to assist Mr & Mrs Harrison to avoid the media my father showed them to a rear exit of the court. He was thanked for doing this by Mr Harrison with the enclosed note. Copy of the court record for the day also enclosed’. Comes with a Tracks Ltd. certificate of authenticity.