Arrest warrant issued for Courtney Love

A judge has issued an arrest warrant for rocker Courtney Love today after she failed to attend a court hearing on drug possession charges.

But Beverly Hills Judge Elden Fox stayed the order until Tuesday, the date of Love's next hearing, meaning that the widow of legendary grunge rocker Kurt Cobain will be arrested if she fails to make that court date.

Love's lawyer, William Genego, told the judge that she did not show up because of "security concerns", but said Love was "on call", if needed in court.

It was unclear if the security worries were linked to an incident at her last court hearing, in which a documentarian tried to chase down a car in which she was travelling.

The former Hole frontwoman and movie actress had been arrested for possession of the medical drugs hydrocodone and oxycodone, found when police were called to her Beverly Hills mansion last year.

Yesterday's hearing was scheduled to determine if Love, 39, would plead guilty to the charges and agree to go into a drug diversion programme, said Jane Robison of the Los Angeles District Attorney's office.

Robison said if Love attended Tuesday's hearing "she won't be arrested, but if she does not show up, she will be arrested".

Police picked up Love on October 2 last year on the drug possession charges, just hours after she was arrested a first time standing in her nightgown outside a home where a burglary was reported.

After allegedly admitting to breaking the windows of an ex-boyfriend's house, she was taken to a police station where she was noted to be under the influence of drugs but was later released on US$2500 ($3635) bail.

But just hours later, police and paramedics were called to her home and Love was reportedly taken to hospital to be treated for an overdose. She had reportedly ingested more than 20mg of oxycodone, a strong pain relief drug with an effect said to be similar to heroin.

But the singer-songwriter, who has just released her debut solo album and has battled addiction to drugs including heroin, has described the charges as "retarded".