Summary Paul Flowers also resigned as a Methodist church minister days before his arrest in November.
LONDON (AFP) - The former chairman of Britain s embattled Co-operative Bank, Paul Flowers, was charged with drugs possession offences.
Flowers stepped down as Co-op Bank chairman in June last year after reported claims of illegal drug use and concerns about his expenses.
The 63-year-old also resigned as a Methodist church minister days before his arrest in November, following newspaper allegations that he was involved in a drug deal.
Flowers was charged with two offences of possession of Class A drugs -- considered the most harmful category -- namely cocaine and methamphetamine.
He was also charged with one count of possession of ketamine, a drug in the lowest category, Class C.
Flowers is to appear at Leeds Magistrates Court in northern England on May 7.
He was charged after he answered bail at a police station in the Yorkshire city.
Flowers made no comment as he left but his lawyer Andrew Hollas said the former bank chief would make a full statement after his court appearance next month.
"It s been self-evident that he has been hounded for six months by certain elements of the press and they have included many allegations within their papers that have been completely without foundation," Hollas said.
A second defendant, Gavin Woroniuk, has been charged in connection with the incident and is due to attend the same court date.
He was charged with four offences of offering to supply a controlled drug as well as one count of possessing criminal property.
