Winehouse husband's '�200K bribe'

Blake Fielder-Civil admitted assault and perverting the course of justice

A pub landlord who was assaulted by singer Amy Winehouse's husband accepted a �200,000 bribe to try to save his attacker from jail, a court has heard.

Blake Fielder-Civil and Michael Brown admitted causing grievous bodily harm to James King at his pub, The Macbeth, in Hoxton, east London, in June 2006.

Mr King's cheekbone was fractured but he struck a deal to "throw the (court) case", Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Mr King, 36, denied conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The court heard that Brown had an unspecified "grievance" towards Mr King, and that he previously dated one of Mr King's friends.

Brown and Fielder-Civil pounced on Mr King at the pub, kicking him to the ground and inflicting serious injury.

'Leave country'

The court heard that a deal was struck after the assault, with Anthony Kelly, 25, from Chalk Farm, north London, and James Kennedy, 19, from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, acting as middle men.

Prosecutor Sean Larkin said: "Mr King would prepare what is known as a withdrawal or retraction statement saying he no longer wished to pursue the prosecution."

As part of the �200,000 deal Mr King would leave the country, making him unable to give evidence to Fielder-Civil and Brown's assault trial, Mr Larkin said.

The plan was exposed when Mr King and Kelly tried to sell the story and CCTV images of the assault to the Daily Mirror newspaper, the court heard.

They met journalist Stephen Moyes in October 2007. Mr Larkin said: "Stephen Moyes asked whether or not Amy Winehouse was involved.

"He was told by Kelly, 'who do you think is paying for it, of course she is'."

But there was no evidence to suggest that the singer was part of the plot, the court heard. In February police confirmed that she faced no charges in relation to the case.

Withdrawal statement

The jury was told that Mr King made a taped withdrawal statement in November 2005, but he told police that he was intimidated into doing so.

Mr King told police that he moved to East Sussex after the attack, where two "heavy-looking" men threatened him into making the statement, injuring his arm and neck.

However three doctors found those wounds "appeared to be self-inflicted", the court heard.

Fielder-Civil, 26, from Camden, north London, Brown, 25, from Carshalton, Surrey, Kelly and Kennedy have admitted perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.