Tearful Amy Winehouse spends the night in jail after her arrest over pub assault

11 April 2012
The Weekender

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In custody: Troubled singer Amy Winehouse, pictured arriving at Holborn police station yesterday

Troubled singer Amy Winehouse was released from police custody this morning after being cautioned for common assault.

The 24-year-old singer spent the night in Holborn police station in central London after voluntarily arriving for questioning yesterday afternoon.

Winehouse was questioned about a street brawl in which she allegedly attacked two men in the early hours of Wednesday.

But when she originally arrived at the station, such was her state that a doctor deemed her "unfit to be interviewed".

Her spokeswoman said today: "Amy Winehouse was questioned this morning at a London police station in connection to an incident in Camden in the early hours of April 23, 2008.

"She admitted to a common assault by slapping a man with an open hand and accepted a caution.

"Amy was fully co-operative with inquiries and apologised for the incident.

"She thanked the police for their professional handling of the matter. There will be no further action taken.

"Amy is looking forward to continuing her work on new music in the studio."

The star's arrival in a blacked-out people carrier shortly after 5pm caused a media frenzy with some 200 press and fans jamming the street.

As she raced up the steps wearing a lime-coloured tank top and khaki shorts, she pushed away her security guard's arm and turned to sneer at the wall of photographers restrained in pens on either side of her.

Her arrest came on the day her husband Blake Fielder-Civil, 26, who is currently on remand at Pentonville Prison, was in court to set a trial date for his alleged attempt to pervert the course of justice in relation to a separate assault incident.

During his appearance at Snaresbrook Crown Court he mouthed "I love you" to 21-year-old blonde supporter Sophie Schandorff in court.

Earlier this week his mother Georgette Civil had said of Winehouse: "Her behaviour has spiralled out of control. She's made a complete fool of herself and I hope my son divorces her."

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Coming out snarling: Amy leaving home on Thursday night

A scrum as she emerges from her flat yesterday

A scrum as she emerges from her flat yesterday

She looks tearful as she is driven away by a female aide

She looks tearful as she is driven away by a female aide

The award-winning singer is alleged to have butted a passer-by who hailed her a taxi outside a bar in Camden Town, north London, in the early hours of Wednesday after a six-hour pub crawl.

The self-confessed junkie is also alleged to have punched Moroccan musician Mustapha el Mounmi in the face because he did not give up a pool table in Bar Tok in Camden.

If convicted she could face up to six months in prison and a £2,000 fine.

Before keeping her police appointment, Winehouse had left her flat in Camden Town looking distressed and tearful.

She was driven to a south London school, where she picked up her god-daughter. Her car was mobbed by schoolgirls desperate to get a picture of their idol.

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Sucking on an ice pop as she picks up her goddaughter

Sucking on an ice pop as she picks up her goddaughter

The star is mobbed as she leaves the school

The star is mobbed as she leaves the school

After visiting McDonald's she then called at her hairdresser's on Eltham High Street, south east London - located next to her old flat - and posed with fans for pictures before heading for Holborn.

The Brit Award-winner was admitted to hospital last August after a reported overdose of heroin, ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine and alcohol and has made several attempts to attend rehab since then.

A video of the star smoking crack cocaine at her home was made public in January this year.

Despite her impending police interview Miss Winehouse's partying went unchecked on Thursday night following a visit from her legal team.

She was escorted from the Made in Brazil bar in Camden by bouncers amid reports that she had been caught taking drugs in the lavatories.

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Distressed: Amy Winehouse was in tears yesterday as she was driven away from her home

Distressed: Amy Winehouse was in tears yesterday as she was driven away from her home

Winehouse arrives at Holborn Police Station (above and below) to be questioned by police over an assault allegation

Amy arrives at court to awaiting photographers

After she returned home friends including actress Sadie Frost arrived at her flat at 2am to continue the party.

The pub crawl two nights earlier which led to her arrest ended when, drunk, dishevelled and disoriented, she lost her keys and had to break into her own home while a number of her "friends" looked on.

At this moment, it would not have been difficult to mistake her for one of the vagrants who sleep in many of the shop doorways in the area.

Certainly, it did not appear to be quite the "road to recovery" of which her mother Janice spoke so warmly in February after her daughter won five Grammy awards in the U.S.

She was, Janice confirmed, 'on her way'. Two months on, with a little help from her friends, however, there are rumours that she is on her way back to where she started - which is hopelessly addicted to drugs and alcohol.

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Trouble: Scotland Yard detectives investigating claims she attacked a man. Here Amy is pictured before going to the police station

Trouble: Scotland Yard detectives investigating claims she attacked a man. Here Amy is pictured before going to the police station

Courting attention: Sophie Schandorff and Blake Fielder-Civil mouthed 'I love you' to each other at his hearing yesterday

Courting attention: Sophie Schandorff and Blake Fielder-Civil mouthed 'I love you' to each other at his hearing yesterday

Little wonder her father, Mitch, who remains devoted to his daughter but increasingly frustrated, is said to be "at the end of his tether".

Together with some of her older, loyal friends, and Amy's record company, Island Records, he is even considering mounting another drastic intervention and forcing Amy to rehab - or more pertinently back to rehab, as she has already been there on a number of occasions.

Previously, the one person who could bring some influence to bear was Amy's husband of 11 months. Hardly a pillar of society himself, Fielder-Civil was at least able to make her see sense on some occasions.

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Erratic: the 24-year-old's behaviour has become increasingly bizarre in recent times

Erratic: the 24-year-old's behaviour has become increasingly bizarre in recent times

Temper: the star allegedly 'head-butted' a 38-year-old man

Temper: the star allegedly 'head-butted' a 38-year-old man

Mess: Amy Winehosue was back out on another bender in Camden on Thursday night

Mess: Amy Winehosue was back out on another bender in Camden on Thursday night

According to sources close to him, he has undergone something of a sea change during his time inside.

"Blake has been confirmed as a Christian while in prison," one reveals. "He has written letters to his family that he has been exploring his spiritual side and that in some ways stepping out of his life for a few months has been the best thing that has ever happened to him."

His perspective on his wife, apparently, is one of equal sadness and frustration.

"He gets a lot of stick in prison about her antics, particularly when it's reported that she's been snogging other men.

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House call: Sadie Frost paid Amy a visit at her Camden den in the early hours

House call: Sadie Frost paid Amy a visit at her Camden den in the early hours

Advice: members of Amy's legal team visited her home on Thursday afternoon

Advice: members of Amy's legal team visited her home on Thursday afternoon

"Sometimes he says he's just going to cut loose. But fundamentally he still believes in the marriage and hopes to make it work."

Where telling another woman he loves her fits in to this, it is difficult to imagine.

Apparently, Winehouse has been talking of starting a family with her husband when he is released. "She has openly said she is broody," one friend reports.

The only reasonable response to that at the moment would be: Perish the thought. Perhaps the best advice comes from a hell-raiser of a much older vintage, Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who has expressed concern for her future.

"She isn't going to be around long unless she sorts herself out pretty quick," he has remarked. "She needs to get smart."

Troubles: On the night of the alleged assault, Amy was spotted carrying what looked like a joint at The Good Mixer in Camden

Troubles: On the night of the alleged assault, Amy was spotted carrying what looked like a joint at The Good Mixer in Camden

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