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Winehouse's husband jailed for 27 months

Amy Winehouse's husband has been jailed for 27 months for trial-fixing and beating up a former pub landlord.
1 of 1 Fielder-Civil - Faces 18 months in jail
Fielder-Civil - Faces 18 months in jail

Blake Fielder-Civil was sentenced to 27 months at Snaresbrook Crown Court, east London, after admitting grievous bodily harm and perverting the course of justice in a £200,000 trial-fixing plot aimed at trying to save him from jail.

The 26-year-old and his friend Michael Brown beat 36-year-old former landlord James King so badly that he needed plates fitted into his face for a broken cheekbone and still receives counselling. The incident took place in June 2006.

In sentencing Winehouse's husband, Judge David Radford told Fielder-Civil that he had behaved in a "gratuitous, cowardly and disgraceful" way.

Fielder-Civil has already served around nine months in Pentonville prison on remand and so could be released in four-and-a-half months for good behaviour.

Amy Winehouse was not in court today to support her husband.

After the hearing, Fielder-Civil's solicitor told reporters that her client may appeal the sentence.

She said: "In the light of the extreme efforts Mr Fielder-Civil has made since being in custody, despite the pressures he's been under, we are disappointed with the length of the sentence and we are giving serious consideration to appealing."

The judge said Fielder Civil was high on alcohol and cocaine when he and Michael Brown attacked James King outside the Macbeth Pub in Hoxton, east London.

He said Fielder Civil joined in the attack "out of a mistaken sense of loyalty to your friend".

He continued: "The fact remains that in joining in that attack by kicking out at Mr King after he had already been both punched and kicked by Mr Brown you behaved in a gratuitous, cowardly and disgraceful way.

"It will be of little comfort to Mr King that you did so because of your inebriation."

The judge said the attack on Mr King was "vicious and one-sided".

He rejected submission from Fielder-Civil that he be sent for treatment at a private drug rehabilitation centre. He said Fielder-Civil could take advantage of these facilities on his release.

Michael Brown, 40, of Carshalton, south London, was sentenced to a total of 33 months for the attack and perverting the course of justice.

Two other men were also sentenced for perverting the course of justice.

Anthony Kelly, 25, of Chalk Farm, north London, was given a custodial sentence totalling 20 months after admitting to perverting the course of justice

James Kennedy, 20, of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, was given a 40-week sentence at a young offenders institute, suspended for 12 months, after admitting to perverting the course of justice.

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