AN off-licence assistant has told how he stepped in to save the troubled singer Pete Doherty after he was set upon by a gang of youths on Friday night.
Doherty (pictured), who was the lead singer of the Libertines and now fronts the band Babyshambles, was given a savage beating by a gang of three men – and only managed to escape serious injury when he staggered into Farid Khan’s shop in Kentish Town Road.
Mr Khan, 30, had watched the singer – who is also famous for his tempestuous relationship with super model Kate Moss and his drug habit – as he was chased with a group of friends along Kentish Town Road from Camden Town Tube station late on Friday night.
Mr Khan said: “I didn’t recognise him at first. He looked angry – he’d been fighting. He stayed in the shop for about 15 minutes. He was covered in blood. I let him take shelter until the police arrived.”
The youths waited outside and tried to kick in the door of the 24-hour shop – smashing the glass and causing around £250-worth of damage.
Mr Khan held the door closed and stopped the pop star taking further punishment.
He added: “There has been problems with gang fights – especially on Friday and Saturday nights.”