HEATH LEDGER - LAWSUIT CLAIMS PAPARAZZI GAVE LEDGER DRUGS FOR SECRET VIDEO

LAWSUIT CLAIMS PAPARAZZI GAVE LEDGER DRUGS FOR SECRET VIDEO

A lawsuit has been launched claiming a Hollywood photo agency supplied the late Heath Ledger with cocaine before secretly filming him taking the drug.

Part of the two-year-old footage was shown on US news programmes shortly after the actor's death in January before being withdrawn following complaints from the Ledger family.

But tape has still reportedly earned more than $1 million (£500,000) in international sales, the legal action alleges.

The ex-girlfriend of the one of the two paparazzi involved is now suing the Splash News & Picture Agency for damages, saying the filming took place in her hotel room and featured her image without her permission.

It alleges the two photographers' supply of cocaine to and subsequent filming of the Brokeback Mountain star "damages her reputation by the inference that she somehow participated with paparazzi in the drugging and hidden taping of Mr Ledger."

"This is bad stuff," the unnamed woman's lawyer Douglas Johnson was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying.

"You don't give drug addicts drugs so you can then tape them."

He added: "She doesn't intend with this lawsuit to seek publicity.

"If anything, she's seeking damages for the invasion of her privacy. She was deceived and doesn't feel too good about it. She tried to physically throw them out of the room."

The video does not show Ledger taking cocaine but sees him rolling a cigarette paper and saying: "I used to smoke five [cannabis] joints a day for 20 years."

The Australian actor was discovered dead in his New York apartment in January after an accidental overdose of prescription medication.