Details have finally been released in the criminal case of Amy Winehouse’s husband Blake Fielder-Civil. Blake has been on trial for assault and perverting the course of justice (akin to witness tampering here in the states). Last week he copped a plea, but it couldn’t be released until this week, due to some stipulations put on the media by the judge.

It’s now been learned that Blake Fielder-Civil and friend Michael Brown tried to bribe pub landlord James King with approximately $400,000 after they assaulted King. It appears they beat him up in June of 2006 due to something relating to a woman: Brown used to date one of King’s friends. Fielder-Civil and Brown attacked King around closing time at the bar, and kicked him repeatedly.

Using two middle men, they offered King £200,000 to withdraw the charges, refuse to testify, and leave the country so that he couldn’t be forced into court. One of the middle men and King brought the plan to the Daily Mirror, trying to sell their story (after they’d already extended the bribe, and King had accepted). The Daily Mirror – being remarkably scrupulous – reported what they’d learned to the police, which launched the investigation. King clearly isn’t that bright, since by going to the Daily Mirror, he alerted police to his illegal activities all on his own.

But the plot was exposed when King and Kelly contacted the Daily Mirror in an attempt to sell their story - and staff informed the police. Kelly claimed that Miss Winehouse, a Grammy Award winner, was effectively funding the bribe, the court heard.

…King, who is being tried for conspiring to pervert the course of justice, said he would ‘effectively throw the case and not turn up’, so that Fielder-Civil and Brown would not face prosecution, Snaresbrook Crown Court, in East London, heard.

When they met journalist Stephen Moyes, in October 2007, he asked if Amy Winehouse was involved in the plot. ‘He was told by Kelly, “Who do you think is paying for it? Of course she is”,’ Mr Larkin said.

But there was no evidence she was part of the conspiracy. King claimed that he was ‘hounded’ by people to stop the case from going to court and suggested money was coming from Amy Winehouse to ‘make this go away’, the jury was told.

[From the Daily Mail]

It’s hard to believe that Amy Winehouse wasn’t involved in this in some way. Where else would Blake Fielder-Civil possibly get money like that? I’m not saying it was Amy’s idea, but I doubt even she would hand over that amount of money without asking what is was for. Police did investigate her involvement, but for whatever reason decided not to charge her. But it sounds like it’s pretty clear that she had something to do with the witness tampering all along.

Here’s Amy Winehouse briefly leaving her London home to hand out ice pops to fans and photographers today. Images thanks to WENN.

Amy Winehouse’s useless husband Blake Fielder-Civil, plead guilty last week to assault and conspiring with the guy he assaulted. Fielder-Civil, 26, beat up Macbeth’s Pub owner James King – and then he tried to bribe King to withdraw his allegations and leave the country. While Fielder-Civil could have gotten about three years for the original assault, it’s the witness tampering – called perverting the course of justice in the U.K. – that’s the much bigger crime. That carries up to life in prison – though Fielder-Civil is unlikely to get such a harsh sentence.

Amy Winehouse’s husband has admitted assaulting a barman and then attempting to cover it up. Blake Fielder-Civil, 26, is standing trial in London on charges of attacking pub landlord James King, and then conspiring with him to withdraw as a witness at the trial. Fielder-Civil and three-co-defendants pleaded guilty last week, but a court order barred reporting the pleas because King is due to face a separate trial. Judge David Radford lifted that restriction Monday.

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 was at London’s Snaresbrook Crown Court last week for the opening legal arguments in her husband’s trial.

Fielder-Civil faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the assault charge. Perverting the course of justice carries a maximum sentence of life, though that is unlikely to be imposed in this case.

[From the Huffington Post]

I can’t even imagine what Winehouse is going to do as a result of this. Since the plea actually happened last week, it’s safe to assume she already knows about it. Fielder-Civil will be sentenced in about a month, once his co-defendants are finished with their other trials. I would imagine that if he ends up being sentenced for any significant amount of time, we’ll find Amy hallucinating on top of someone’s chimney or something. And that’d be a big improvement for her, behavior-wise.

Here’s Amy Winehouse with her dad Mitch at Guanabana restaurant in Camden, London last night. Amy then stopped at a newsstand for cigarettes and candy. Header of Blake and Amy in November, 2007. Images thanks to WENN.

It’s a big day in Nick Hogan’s universe - all of his wildest dreams are coming true! Actually, I’m guessing it’s a pretty big day for most of the inmates at Pinellas County Jail. That’s right, young Nick’s wish of being released into the general population has finally been granted. Nick was being held essentially in solitary confinement because at the young, vulnerable age of 17, he was the only minor in the otherwise adult population.

Hogan is also a minor celebrity in real life, which translates to major booty in jail life. You’d think if the guy had two brain cells to rub together, he’d want to stay in solitary for that exact reason. But apparently Nick’s conviction that he’s special and different and protected from everyone else makes him believe what happens to other famous young jailbird men won’t happen to him. Good luck.

Nick Hogan’s got himself some company. Two days after a judge denied his request to be transferred out of solitary confinement, Hulk Hogan’s son, who’s serving time for a DUI crash that seriously injured his friend, was moved into a communal cell after a routine assessment of the ever-in-flux jail population, according to a spokeswoman for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

Hogan, whose real last name is Bollea, was cooling his heels in an isolated maximum-security cell because, at 17 years of age, he was considered too young to live among the jail’s general population.

Attorney Kevin Hayslett argued in a motion filed Friday that his client was undergoing “cruel and unusual punishment” that didn’t fit the crime by being housed in those conditions. He requested Hogan either be granted house arrest until his 18th birthday or at least moved out of the concrete block he’d been calling home to be with other nonviolent inmates.

A judge refused a transfer but, according to the jail rep, a spot for Hogan opened up following a review of current housing assignments. The teen is now sharing space with three other juvenile offenders.

[From E! News]

Something tells me getting locked in a tight space with three other dudes was not what Nick was hoping for when he had his lawyer make that request.

Nick will become an adult in jail, celebrating the big 18 on July 27. He’ll probably get some new adult roommates at that point. What a fun treat for him. Nothing says “Happy Birthday” like the fear of taking a shower or falling asleep.

Header Nick and sister Brooke in January 2007. Images thanks to WENN.

It really is hard out there for a Hogan. I mean I used to feel a little badly for poor Nick Hogan – what with the nearly taking someone’s life and then getting punished for it with 8 months in jail – but now I feel super badly for him. Nick has to spend the bulk of his day in solitary confinement because he’s a minor in an adult, maximum security facility. And I’m guessing he’s more than a little bit of a target in there as well. But Nick doesn’t like it, and wants out. And what Nick wants, Nick should get, right?

Lawyers for Hulk Hogan’s son, Nick Bollea, filed a motion earlier today requesting that the 17-year-old be released from solitary confinement and placed into a program that would give him the same treatment as anyone else with the same sentence.

According to the motion, filed in Florida’s Pinellas County Court, Nick, who was convicted to an 8-month sentence after pleading no contest to charges stemming from his August 2007 auto accident, is wrongfully being held in solitary confinement for up to 17 hours a day.

“Nick’s current confinement in maximum security was not appropriate based on their evaluation of Nick, the circumstances of his offense, and Nick’s lack of any prior criminal record,” his lawyer’s claim.

“Treating a minor in this manner is simply unwarranted,” says Morris “Sandy” Weinberg of the Tampa office of Zuckerman, Spaeder. “We are only asking the court to make available to Nick what anyone else in his situation would have available to them, and also to respect the Bollea family’s privacy.”

[From OK! Magazine]

While I have a policy of never feeling any empathy to Nick Hogan, even I have to admit that placement in a maximum security facility for a minor without a record seems pretty extreme. But I’m all for the judge not showing Nick any special treatment. Obviously jail isn’t fun. In fact it’s supposed to suck as much as possible. Sounds like it does. Maybe it really will work as some sort of deterrent for Nick next time he wants to drag race and slam into a palm tree.

Nick Hogan is pictured at his sentencing hearing on May 13th. Images thanks to Splash.

Nick Hogan really doesn’t like jail. I mean really. It’s no fun at all – in fact it’s downright boring. Though it appears he hasn’t been made anyone’s bitch (yet), Nick still thinks the place sucks and wishes he’d gone to trial instead of copping a plea. The inmates are allowed to talk on the phone as long as they want at Pinellas County Jail – during their free time of course. Nick spends an average of two hours a day on the phone, generally complaining and whimpering to his mom.

The contents of some of Nick’s conversations have been released, and now we can hear a few of the specifics about just how tough jail really is.

The phone calls began just hours after Nick Bollea was hauled away from the courtroom.

Nick Bollea: “Had I known this, I would have rather gone to trial or I would rather, you know, appeal the case or something. I can’t deal with this for eight months. It’s (Bollea’s cell) like the size of my bathroom.”
Linda Bollea: “Oh!”
Nick: “No windows or nothing. Just one little top bed thing.”
Linda: “Oh my God!”

[From ABC Action News]

I know! My God indeed! Now I’m guessing Nick Hogan’s bathroom is bigger than most of our bedrooms. So I am not necessarily impressed by how small his cell is. And it’s not like he’s got a lot of stuff to keep in there. What does it matter how small it is? But I just love the shock and “Oh my God!” I’m guessing that was followed with, “What thread count are the sheets? 200 you say? My God!”

Bollea is being kept in a single cell at the Pinellas County Jail because he is one of only two minors serving time in the adult facility. On the phone, he cries often and is comforted by his mother Linda.

Nick: “All you do is sit there and think, and there’s nothing to think about.”
Linda: “We’ll get through it.”
Nick: “Yeah.”
Linda: “Prove to everyone you’ve learned your lesson and be more careful.”

Bollea asks for anything to pass the time, including books and magazines. He even talks about breaking the world record for sleeping and working out in his cell. On Wednesday his famous father Terry (a.k.a. Hulk Hogan) congratulated him on his time served so far.

[From ABC Action News]

Considering how Nick’s family has often reacted to the car crash (which left passenger John Graziano in a vegetative state, probably for life), it’s actually surprising to hear Linda Hogan acknowledge that Nick did do something wrong, and has a lesson to learn. Linda has encouraged Nick’s racing hobby for years, including drag racing – which was what he was doing when he crashed his car.

However she did support Graziano family for a while, renting a condo for his mother to stay in while she kept watch over her son . So it seems like she has some teeny, tiny bit of common sense lacking in father Hulk Hogan, who said the following:

~”I’m very proud of you brother. Very, very proud of you. You’ve been thrown in a tough spot and you’ve handled it better than I could have probably handled it. Any man I know. You’ve really been somebody to look up to.”

[From ABC Action News]

Yes, ruining a young man’s life, never taking responsibility or saying sorry directly to his family until you’re forced to in a court of law – you are someone to look up to, Nick Hogan. You’ve ruined many lives. Congrats. I hope the next seven months are filled with deep thoughts… though you’ve already admitted you don’t have many of those.

Nick Hogan is pictured at his sentencing hearing on May 13th. Images thanks to Splash.

Who would have thought it? Turns out, Nick Hogan doesn’t like jail. Which is odd, because most people are really big fans. What with the friendly service and great food and all, you’d be batshit crazy not to enjoy your free vacation.

Nick Hogan is not doing well in jail, friends say. The son of pro wrestler Hulk Hogan started serving eight months in California’s [sic – it’s Florida] Pinellas County Jail on May 9 for a drunken-driving accident that left his best friend, John Graziano, in a coma.

“Nick’s doing really bad. He’s struggling to even form a sentence,” one friend said. “They have him in a cell by himself, isolated from the general population, because of threats. He didn’t understand how awful jail really is until now.” That will be small consolation to Graziano’s relatives, who say Hogan has done very little for their son since the crash.

[From the New York Post]

Nick is also in isolation because he is the only minor in the jail. Though if he serves just two and a half months of his eight month sentence, Nick will have the pleasure of becoming a full-fledged adult in jail. I wonder what kind of birthday cake they get you when you turn 18 in jail. I’m sure it’s nothing fancy – probably one of those grocery store bought cakes at best. But still, something to look forward to Nick. Wait, they don’t get you a cake? Madness. I’d hate jail too. Poor Nick.

I’m guessing Nick’s lawyer is going to ask that he be transferred to some type of mental health facility – or pull a Paris Hilton and try to get him released altogether because jail makes you kind of unstable. Man, if only Nick had known jail sucks so much. You’d think that might have been a deterrent or something.

I am very happy to report that Nick Hogan was just handed down a surprisingly long jail sentence as a result of his guilty plea in his felony reckless driving case. Nick was sentenced to eight months in jail, 500 hours of community service, three years without his driver’s license, and must attend a DUI education class. He could have served up to five years in prison – though considering the leniency often shown celebrities and their offspring, I’m pretty damn surprised Hogan was sentenced to any jail time.

Nick Bollea was sentenced to eight months in Florida’s Pinellas County Jail for felony reckless driving Thursday after pleading no contest in court. A judge also handed down five years probation, 500 hours of community service and a three-year drivers license revocation. Nick will not be able to drink for the duration of his probation, and will attend DUI education classes within one year.

The 17-year-old donned a light colored suit to Pinellas County Court and stared straight ahead as the sentence was read. Sitting behind him was a black-clad Hulk, who prayed during the proceedings and grew teary-eyed, sister Brooke, who wore a top with the shoulders cut out and Hulk’s soon-to-be ex-wife, Linda.

Nick was arrested last November on reckless-driving charges stemming from an August 26 crash. An eyewitness told police that Bollea and a pal were drag racing upwards of 100 mph when Nick’s yellow Toyota Supra slammed into a palm tree. Two hours after the crash, alcohol was detected in his bloodstream.

[From Us Weekly]

John Graziano – the passenger in Nick’s car who was severely injured – will most likely spend the rest of his life in a nursing home. His family appeared in court and spoke on his behalf. The Hogan family has never issued much of an apology, nor has Nick publicly taken any responsibility for his actions. In fact the Hogans tried to blame Graziano for his injuries since he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt – not their drunk kid who drag raced and smashed into a tree. Graziano’s family confirmed that Nick has never privately expressed any remorse or taken any responsibility. It’s pretty disgusting.

“My life now consists of 10 hours each day at a hospital watching my son suffer,” John’s father said in a statement during today’s court proceedings. “Nick has shown no remorse for what he’s done for my son.

Added John’s sister: “We have never once heard him apologize for what he’s done or take any responsibility for any of his actions.”

[From Us Weekly]

No word on how much time Nick is actually expected to spend in jail. But I’m glad he’s going to at least do some time – and hopefully he’ll spend it actually reflecting on how not to be a loser douche bag from now on.

Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland has been sentenced for his DUI incident on November 21st 2007, to 192 hours in prison, which is about 8 days.

Weiland, 40, entered a plea of no contest, the functional equivalent of a guilty plea in California, to a single misdemeanour count of driving under the influence of alcohol - his second DUI conviction in nearly four years.

The plea, stemming from his November 21 arrest following a traffic collision on a ramp to a Los Angeles freeway, was entered by Weiland’s lawyer on his behalf.

Weiland was also placed on four years’ unsupervised probation, ordered to enrol in an 18-month alcohol program and fined roughly $US1600, City Attorney’s Office spokesman Frank Mateljan said.

Weiland last month pleaded innocent to a charge of driving under the influence of drugs. Prosecutors did not make clear why the nature of the offence was changed in the final plea.

stuff.co.nz

Scott actually seems to have larger problems than simple drug and alcohol abuse issues. He has been in rehab in 1999, under a program where you can avoid a jail term in California by spending the sentence in rehab. He didn’t succeed, overdosing on heroin and being sent to jail by a judge trying to “show that this will not be tolerated…[and] to help him make up his mind to stop killing himself.” Scott’s brother Michael died of a drug overdose, and he needs to take care that something similar doesn’t happen to him.

Scott is bi-polar and says he doesn’t take his medication, resulting in manic and depressive episodes.

Scott will probably serve his sentence before the 28th of May, as his newly reformed band Stone Temple Pilots begin touring on May 17th. In is in his best interests to carry on with the tour – Velvet Revolver kicked him out of the band (check out his blog for the rant he goes into about that incident here)because of his erratic behavior, and those $40,000 bail fees aren’t going to pay for themselves.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Scot Weiland is shown looking rough at the All-Star Gala benefiting the AROD Family Foundation on 1/19/08, thanks to Splash News.

That Amy Winehouse is one consistently lucky lady. Despite a night in which she physically assaulted two men, did drugs in public, trashed a bar, and smashed her head against a lamppost, she was released from police custody with only a caution – similar to a citation. Winehouse did end up spending the night in jail; however she was not arrested and won’t be charged with assault.

Normally I’d say I hope she’s laying in her nice bed at home, feeling incredibly grateful that she got off so easily. But because it’s Amy Winehouse, I’m pretty sure she’s managed to visit 10 bars in the last 10 hours, partake of at least 7 different drugs, and drink somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 shots. So I doubt she’s sitting at home writing in her gratitude journal.

Amy Winehouse left a London police station Saturday after questioning about reports that she scuffled with two men during a raucous night out. She received a formal police caution for assault. The caution means the 24-year-old soul diva has not been charged, but the incident will remain on the record and could count against her if she is ever charged with a similar offense in future.

Winehouse spent the night at Holborn Police Station in central London after arriving for questioning Friday afternoon. Police said a 24-year-old woman had been cautioned for common assault. British police do not identify suspects who have not been charged.

A statement released by Winehouse spokesman Chris Goodman said the singer “admitted to a common assault by slapping a man with an open hand and accepted a caution. Amy was fully cooperative with inquiries and apologized for the incident,” the statement said

[From the Huffington Post]

I am still a little confused because all the media reports are saying Amy admitted to the slapping of one of the guys – but what about the guy she punched in the lip, and the man she famously headbutted? Perhaps those incidents are still up in the air – or perhaps the police have decided not to pursue them.

This would have been a wonderful opportunity for the Metropolitan police to show Amy that there are direct consequences for her actions, and that you can’t go around headbutting people whenever you feel like it. Yeah I know she was on drugs – but if you choose to take the drugs, all the resulting decisions you make are your responsibility as well. It seems like everyone is missing each and every opportunity to get Amy some sort of help. And I hate to say it, but this just won’t end well.

Here’s Amy before she went to the police station on Friday. Images thanks to Splash.

Petey boy sure is living the life now that he’s in jail where he belongs. According to the always reliable Sun, Pete is getting the star treatment at West London’s Wormwood Scrubs jail. Yes that really is the name of the facility. No it’s not a weird Harry Potter joke or something. I wasn’t impressed with the British legal system after they gave Doherty so many second chances. But it’s all okay now, because they have a jail named Wormwood Scrubs. We’re cool London, don’t worry.

Pete has been given TWO mattresses, extra bedding, a television, and a radio. Apparently that hasn’t helped his popularity with the other inmates – something Doherty might want to give a little more consideration to.

Prisoners normally have to spend weeks earning points for good behaviour before being handed such privileges. Doherty, 29, is in the segregation wing with 16 high-risk lags, including paedophiles. A source said: “He’s in the segregation unit because of who he is. It’s thought he could be vulnerable. He’s been put on enhanced privileges, which means he can have virtually what he wants, so that includes an extra mattress, TV and radio. It’s basically the five-star treatment, which takes most prisoners weeks of good behaviour to achieve.”

Babyshambles singer Doherty told a friend he was terrified of jail. His solicitor said: “Pete obviously didn’t want to go to prison but he was philosophical.”

[From The Sun]

As much as it’s fun to joke (Ooooh, two mattresses!) by the looks of Pete Doherty, I’m guessing his jail cell is a lot nicer than his home. Think about it; have you ever seen him looking anything less than totally dirty and disgusting? Now imagine what his domicile must look like. I highly doubt there’s even one mattress. Whoever thought going to jail would be a step up for Pete? Maybe he’ll consider his luxurious accommodations so inviting that he’ll choose to stay a bit longer – or better yet, move on to a five year, in-patient rehab program. I don’t think they have those, but if there’s ever a person to design one for, it’s Pete.