Heroin-addicted sibling of the multi-millionaire celebrity claims his family are refusing to help him fight drugs-possession charge.

 

His brother is the UK's richest celebrity chef, a multi-millionaire as famous for partying with the Beckhams as he is for his Michelin-starred restaurants, TV shows and book deals, yet Ronald Ramsay's life is untouched by any trappings of success. Languishing in an Indonesian jail, Gordon's younger sibling faces up to 10 years in jail for heroin possession.

 

Speaking exclusively to The Independent on Sunday from his cell in Denpasar, Bali, Ronnie Ramsay claims that his brother has refused his pleas for aid, insisting: "I asked him for his help, he knows I need help. But he made his decision not to help me. I've heard nothing from my family. It's heartbreaking. "

 

Arrested five months ago, the 38-year-old heroin addict says that he is now desperate for money, both to improve his living conditions and to fund his defence. He is sharing a cell with eight men charged with crimes ranging from paedophilia to murder, and this cash would enable him to move to a private cell, as well as buying essentials such as soap and food.

 

Eric Siregar, Ramsay's lawyer, implies that money could also speed up his case: "Money can certainly help the lawyer here ... help the wheels of justice turn a little smoother," he said. "I don't know how his brother can be so cruel. He can help, but he chooses not to. I've tried to contact Gordon Ramsay three times but haven't even received a reply."

 

A spokesman for Gordon Ramsay, who has amassed a fortune of more than £67m from an international string of restaurants, TV shows and books, told The Independent On Sunday: "We have no comment, as we have had no comment all along. This is a sensitive issue, and at times like this it is not fair on his mother."

 

The chef broke his silence in 2006, with the release of his best-selling autobiography Humble Pie, in which he talked candidly about helping his brother through rehab. The chef describes how he bought Ronnie a fix to get him to their father's funeral: "I thought it was better for him to be there and off his face than not be there at all," he wrote. He is reported to have spent more than £300,000 on his brother's rehabilitation, accommodation and job training.

 

Looking like a drug-ruined version of his celebrity brother, Ramsay acknowledges the assistance his family has given him in the past: "He's helped me out on a number of occasions ... he's made his decision and I've got to respect that."

 

While Ronnie Ramsay may have the same piercing blue eyes and craggy skin as his elder brother, years of drug abuse have taken their toll. He is pencil thin, his arms are riddled with track marks and his legs are blighted with infected mosquito bites. His heroin-addled physique is a far cry from that of the restaurateur, who completed last year's London marathon with his glamorous wife Tana, and cheered on by their four children.

 

Ronnie Ramsay is adamant that if found innocent, he will kick the addiction. "If I get out of here, that's the end of my drug habit. Next year I'll be 40. I don't think I've got very many more chances in this life."

 

His chances of acquittal may be slim, however. Indonesian courts are among the strictest in the world when dealing with drug-related crimes as illustrated last year when the Bali Nine, a group of young Australians, were sentenced to a firing squad for drug smuggling.

 

 

Should Gordom Ramsey help his brother, after all he’s done in the past. Should we all help our own relatives if this happened in our families, or does there come a time when enough is enough.

 

Gordon has done all he can, he has helped as much as he can and his brother hasn't listened, can only do so much to help someone

'am i my brothers keeper'?...

As harsh as it may seem, at the end of the day it's "tough love", and Gordon is right to ignore his brother's pleas.. The guy's made his own bed, and it seems like Gordon has done all they can to help him out with the rehab and everything....

there's only so much help you can give someone struggling with the illness of addiction.

 

He fails to mention that he was only in the country because Gordon Ramsay paid for him to work out there - and he repaid Gordon by going back to his skaggy old ways.

 

He deserves to do his time in the jail there - maybe if and when he comes out, he'll be clean and understand his family really had done all they can - and it was down to him to keep himself clean.

I guess it's a difficult one ... family is family, and we should do all we can to help those we rely on the most a lot of the time.

 

BUT, 38 and a heroin addict expecting his brother to dig him out of a hole he got himself into? Not likely - I can't say I'd do anything differently to Gordon. He got himself into this, at 38 he should know better and be able to have control of his life without running to his brother.

"He is reported to have spent more than £300,000 on his brother's rehabilitation, accommodation and job training."

 

Well that was the point Gordon's brother should have turned it around. He had that opportunity, he can't expect more and more if he's thrown away past help.

 

We should help our own relatives yes but I do think in this case enough has been done prior that hasn't seen any effort or results on the brothers part.