BABYSHAMBLES MELTDOWN COUNTDOWN

Pete Doherty appears to have been beaten up on Friday night, curiously running away from the police who came to arrest his attackers. It all happened on London's busy Kentish Town Road, which meant there were passers-by:

A passer-by said: “People at the scene said Doherty was trying to buy drugs off these guys. It all just kicked off in the street. Doherty was grabbed round the neck but his mate pushed the bloke off. Then Doherty got pinned up against a wall and they were all throwing punches at each other. Doherty got punched at least once in the head and kicked two or three times. His mate probably took the same number of kicks but really stuck up for him. If he hadn’t been there, Doherty would have taken a real beating. They were coming off worse.”

The brawling groups were pulled apart by strangers — and Doherty and his pal nipped in the shop and held the doors shut.

The witness said: “The attackers threw traffic roadwork barriers. But they got bored and walked off.”

We're not sure why the "passer-by" is quoting some nebulous "people at the scene" - perhaps he was a tabloid journalist. Anyway, thanks to the miracles of CCTV, the police arrested a bloke and charged him with affray. Could Pete actually appear for the Crown in a court case?

It seems to have been the last straw for Kate Moss, though (or rather, the latest in a long line of last straws) with the Mirror reporting that she threw him out and broke it off. (And that's only about the ninth time the tabs have reported Moss dumping Doherty, remember.)

Oddly, the Mirror suggests the fight wasn't with someone he was trying to buy drugs off:

Violence flared on Friday after junkie Doherty went boozing with guitarist friend Alan Wass in North London. A group of youths shouted "crackhead" at him and a fight broke out.

And the bored toss of a roadwork barrier turns into a hail of missiles:

Farid Khan, 30, of Supersave store in Camden Town, said: "The singer ran in pursued by six men. There was a big fight. We got the Somalis out but they hurled a brick at the door."

Curious choice of description by Mr. Khan, there - "the singer ran in."

Kate, apparently, still wants to record with Pete - because, of course, that would work, but just can't take the worry of what he's up to. "Friends" are worrying all this dumping could, well, knock Pete off the rails:

A friend of Doherty said: "We're worried how Pete will react to being dumped. For all their ups and downs, and despite his wild ways, he really loves Kate."

Yes, let's hope he doesn't turn to drink and drugs for comfort, shall we?

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