Bail bound Doherty rushes from gig
Troubled rock star Pete Doherty tonight performed a quick 45-minute gig with his new band Babyshambles – then rushed out of the venue in order to meet his bail conditions.
He was hailed by hundreds of his fans at a London gig, just hours after facing a court accused of robbery and blackmail.
The 25-year-old former Libertine singer played a 45 minute set before dashing home to meet a 10pm to 7am bail curfew.
Several hundred fans crowded into Islington’s Garage venue, with a small cluster left outside in blizzard-like conditions.
The on-off lover of model Kate Moss, 31, had swapped the sober suit he wore earlier at Snaresbrook Crown Court for a long tweed coat and black trousers.
Doherty received a rapturous welcome from fans at the warm-up show for a major gig at Brixton academy, to be held tomorrow.
He had earlier appeared before Mr Justice Radford following his arrest this month in connection with an alleged dispute with his documentary maker Max Carlish.
The prosecution claim the two men were involved in an incident at the Rookery Hotel in Islington, which left the film-maker needing treatment to facial injuries.
Doherty, who was kicked out of his former band the Libertines last year due to his spiralling drug habit, spend five nights in police and prison custody as a result of his arrest.
He has recently undergone a further spell of drug rehabilitation and set up his new band who have scored one Top 10 hit.
The wayward singer, notorious for snubbing shows due to his addiction, last week missed a performance at the NME Awards due to ill health.
Alan Wass, 23, guitarist with the band Left Hand, appeared alongside him at court to answer the same charges.
Their lawyers indicated they will plead not guilty to the allegations and will make an application for the case to be dismissed.
Mr Justice Radford agreed to a request to alter Doherty’s bail tomorrow, allowing him to play the gig in Brixton, South London.
The judge made the one-off order for his curfew to start at midnight and lowered Doherty’s surety from £150,000 to £100,000.
Both men were ordered to return to the court on April 18 for a plea and direction hearing.
