The husband of troubled singer Amy Winehouse has been arrested over an alleged £200,000 plot to fix a trial he is involved in.

Blake Fielder-Civil was arrested and handcuffed by eight plain-clothed officers just days before he is due to stand trial over serious assault allegations.

Winehouse hugged and kissed him and told him that she loved him before he was put into a police car and driven away. He has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

Officers, using a crow bar, had already smashed down the front door of the couple’s home in Camden, North London, but they were not there. Police, who had been tipped off about the alleged plot by a national newspaper, then spent several hours searching the premises.

It is alleged that Fielder-Civil, who was arrested in East London, on Thursday and another man had offered the alleged victim in the forthcoming trial £200,000 to change his story.

They are reported to have also told him that he would be flown to Spain before the hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday in the hope that it would collapse.

The case, involving a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent, was brought after a barman was assaulted at the Macbeth pub, in Hoxton, North London. Fielder-Civil denies the charges.

The case may now be delayed. Three other men have also been arrested. There is no suggestion Winehouse is involved.

The alleged plot was apparently caught on video by the national newspaper using covert cameras. Perverting the course of justice carries a maximum sentence of life.

Winehouse, 24, who last week won the Artists’ Choice Award at the MTV Europe Music Awards, started dating Fielder-Civil, a music video assistant, two years ago. The couple split up and that is when she wrote her award-winning album Back To Black.

The couple were soon reunited and he asked her to marry him last April. She immediately agreed.

Her family have been concerned for her health in recent months, as she has taken a downward spiral into depression and drugs. Her father has told of his fears for her health and claimed she did not touch hard drugs until she married Fielder-Civil.

In a television interview Mitch Winehouse said that he was not saying it was her husband’s fault as she is responsible for her own actions.

Mr Winehouse said his daughter has cut down on her drinking in the past year but is still battling bulimia and drug addiction.

The singer has had to appeal for a visa to enter the United States after being arrested in Norway last month with her husband in connection with marijuana possession.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “Four men, two aged 25, one aged 22 and another aged 19, were arrested yesterday in connection with allegations of perverting the course of justice.

“They were arrested at addresses in east London and are now in custody at north London police stations.”

Explore Music

• Festivals

• CD Reviews

• Live Reviews

• Classical

Editor's choice

• U2 at Nou Camp Stadium, Barcelona
• The 50 Best Movie Villains
• The 15 golden rules of theatre etiquette