Amy Winehouse’s husband returned to court today (November 12) to face an assault charge - but the trial was delayed following claims he tried to bribe a pub landlord to withdraw the allegation.

Blake Fielder-Civil grinned throughout the brief hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London as his trial was adjourned until November 23. He remains in custody.

Fielder-Civil, and another defendant, Michael Brown, had been due to stand trial from Monday (November 12) accused of causing grievous bodily harm to James King, landlord of the Macbeth pub in Hoxton, east London .

Brown and King allegedly had a confrontation late one night in June.

Last week Fielder-Civil was arrested and police raided the house he shares with Winehouse in Camden, north London, amid accusations that Fielder-Civil and Brown had offered King a large amount of cash to withdraw his allegation.

Judge David Radford said the trial “clearly can’t go ahead today”. He issued an arrest warrant for Brown.

Winehouse was not in court for the hearing, reports the BBC.