Robert Downey Jr's son charged with felony

Los Angeles - Robert Downey Jr.'s son has been charged with felony possession of a controlled substance.

Indio Downey, 20, who is currently in rehab, was arrested and booked for cocaine possession in late June, but as a first-time offender he is automatically entitled to a drug diversion program.

The Iron Man 3 star's eldest child has also been charged with misdemeanour possession of drug paraphernalia, according to gossip website TMZ.com.

Robert, who previously battled drug addiction himself and was arrested numerous times in the 1990s on drug-related charges, thanked the LA County Sheriff's Department for "their intervention".

Police officers arrested Indio in West Hollywood on 29 June when they pulled him over after they noticed he was smoking something out of a pipe in a vehicle he was passenger in and found cocaine.

He was later released on $10 000 bail and shortly afterwards he voluntarily checked into a treatment facility.

Robert, 49, released a statement the day after the arrest, claiming his son "likely inherited" his weakness for drugs, but will hopefully overcome it.

A source close to The Avengers star also recently insisted he is still ''very proud'' of Indio, saying: ''Robert clearly understands the struggle, and while of course this relapse was very upsetting to him, he is very proud of his son. Indio truly wants to stay clean. And no matter what, his dad will be right there with him."