Winehouse husband 'offered victim hush money'

LONDON, England (AP) -- The husband of singer Amy Winehouse beat up a pub landlord and then offered him £200,000 ($400,000) to keep quiet about the attack, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

Prosecution lawyer Sean Larkin said barman James King suffered a broken cheekbone in the June 2006 barroom attack by Winehouse's spouse, Blake Fielder-Civil, and another man -- but was willing to accept money to spare his attackers jail.

King, 36, is on trial for conspiring to pervert the course of justice. He denies the charge, and says he was intimidated into withdrawing the assault claim.

Larkin told the jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court, in London, that a deal had been struck for King to retract his statement, leave the country and not show up for any trial, "and that Mr. King expected to be paid something in the order of 200,000 pounds."

Fielder-Civil, 26, pleaded guilty last week to perverting the course of justice, and also admitted assault. Three other men -- James Kennedy, Anthony Kelly and Michael Brown -- also pleaded guilty to involvement in the plot. All three face jail terms when they are sentenced later.

Larkin said the plot was exposed when Kennedy and Kelly contacted the Daily Mirror newspaper and tried to sell the story of the beating and the cover-up. The newspaper went to the police.

The lawyer said Daily Mirror journalist Stephen Moyes had asked whether Winehouse was involved.

"He was told by Kelly, 'Who do you think is paying for it? Of course she is,"' Larkin said.

In December, police arrested and questioned Winehouse on suspicion of attempting to interfere with Fielder-Civil's case. She was released without charge, and Larkin said there was no evidence to suggest she was involved in the plot.

In a statement, King said he was pressured into making a video recording of himself withdrawing his allegation of assault.

"I was told that I would have to say that I was not under duress, which was as far from the truth as possible," King said.

"Apparently the video was for Amy Winehouse. It seems they were extorting her for money to make this go away," he added.

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.

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