Saturday, 14 June 2008

Amy Winehouse's husband pleads guilty to assault and lying to police

LONDON - The husband of singer Amy Winehouse has admitted assaulting a barman and attempting to cover it up.

Blake Fielder-Civil, 26, is being tried in London on charges of attacking pub landlord James King, and then conspiring together to have King to withdraw as a witness at the trial.

Fielder-Civil and three-co-defendants pleaded guilty last week but a court order barred reporting the pleas because King is scheduled to face a separate trial. Judge David Radford lifted the reporting restriction Monday.

Soul diva Winehouse and Fielder-Civil married in Miami in May 2007. He was arrested in November and has been in jail awaiting trial ever since.

Winehouse has become an international star since she released the Grammy-winning album "Back to Black" in 2006. But her music has been overshadowed by reports of her drug use, run-ins with the law and tempestuous relationship with Fielder-Civil.

Winehouse was at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court last week for the opening arguments in her husband's trial.

Fielder-Civil faces a maximum of five years in prison for the assault charge. Perverting the course of justice carries a maximum sentence of life, though that is unlikely to be imposed in this case.

The defendants are due to be sentenced later.










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