Winehouse sees husband charged

Amy Winehouse blew kisses at her husband yesterday when he appeared in court accused of trying to bribe a pub landlord to drop an assault allegation against him.

The singer, who had appeared the previous night at Brixton Academy on the fifth date of her sell-out British tour, seemed close to tears as she sat in the public gallery at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London with Blake Fielder-Civil's mother, Georgette.

Mr Fielder-Civil, 25, spoke only to confirm his name but managed to mouth "I love you" and "You all right, you OK?" to his wife, who nodded. As he turned to go back to the cells, he put his hand against his face and mouthed: "I'll phone you, baby."

Winehouse, wearing a long-sleeved, black mini-dress and a yellow ribbon in her hair, replied, "I love you" and leaned over a barrier to blow him kisses.

Mr Fielder-Civil was refused bail and ordered to remain in Pentonville prison until 18 January, when he will enter a plea to a charge of perverting justice, along with two other men. He allegedly offered James King, the licensee of The Macbeth pub in Hoxton, east London, a large sum of cash to leave the country and withdraw a claim over an attack said to have taken place in June.

Mr Fielder-Civil and his co-defendant Michael Brown, 25, of Carshalton, Surrey, both deny assaulting Mr King, 36. A third man, Anthony Kelly, 25, is accused of involvement in the plot. Judge David Radford "pencilled in" the trial for 23 June.

The first night of Winehouse's tour in Birmingham last week drew critical reviews and prompted fans to boo her as she reportedly forgot her words and gave a shambolic performance.

Thursday's Brixton gig was less chaotic. Winehouse was on top form vocally, although she was 50 minutes late and forgot which day it was.