Friday, July 18, 2008 - 18:00
AFP News Briefs ListDoherty escapes arrest despite court no-show
British "bad boy" rocker Pete Doherty escaped a threat of arrest Friday despite failing to turn up to court on charges of criminal damage, a court spokesman said.
An arrest warrant was initially issued after the recovering drug addict failed to show at Yeovil Magistrates Court Thursday over an incident last summer where it is alleged he caused 200 pounds (250 euros or 400 dollars) of damage to a photographer's camera.
But a court official told AFP that the warrant was subsequently withdrawn, and a new hearing has now been rearranged for July 24.
Doherty, 29, is accused of having ripped the camera from the neck of Cath Mead, 22, as she tried to take pictures of the rocker and his then girlfriend, Irina Lazareanu.
The Babyshambles frontman has been touring in Europe -- playing the Montreux Jazz Festival on Tuesday, the Vieilles Charrues Festival in France Thursday, and was due to play Benicassim Festival in Spain later Friday.
Doherty, the former boyfriend of Kate Moss, had failed to attend a previous hearing related to the same charges, on June 26, which could affect the severity of his punishment.
The court spokesman said: "It's not appropriate for me to speculate. It is for the magistrates to consider but they will take it into account."
Images
British "bad boy" rocker Pete Doherty, seen here perfroming in France, escaped a threat of arrest Friday despite failing to turn up to court on charges of criminal damage, a court spokesman said.
© 2007 AFP Fred Tanneau
