Amy Winehouse's traumatic year has been plunged into further turmoil after she was arrested in connection with an investigation into perverting the course of justice.

The 24-year-old singer was questioned in Shoreditch, east London, by police investigating an alleged attempt to interfere with a court case involving her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil. She was later released on bail until March.

"A 24-year-old woman has been arrested by appointment at an east London police station," a Scotland Yard spokeswoman said.

"The arrest is in connection with an investigation into perverting the course of justice."

Mr Fielder-Civil has been remanded in custody on charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to an assault of a pub landlord on June 20 last year.

It is alleged that he and another man later offered the man a significant amount of money to withdraw his allegation and leave the country.

A plea and directions hearing is scheduled for January 18, with a trial date pencilled in for June.

Last month the singer, who suffers from drug and alcohol problems, cancelled all remaining tour dates on doctor's orders, leaving her with a £500,000 bill, blaming the stress caused by Mr Fielder-Civil's case.

Winehouse’s career has soared since her second album, Back to Black, won a Brit award this year. It has sold 3.3 million copies worldwide and is the biggest-selling album of the year in Britain.

However, her behaviour has become increasingly erratic and dogged by rumours of drug misuse and marital strife.

"I can’t give it my all on stage without my Blake," she said in a statement, cancelling her tour. "I’m so sorry but I don’t want to do the shows half-heartedly. I love singing. My husband is everything to me and without him it’s just not the same."

The 17-date tour had sold out and was expected to gross £1,125,000, but the beehived diva has completed only half of it and was pilloried for a shambolic display at the opening night of the tour in Birmingham.

She staggered about the stage, slurred her words and called the audience "mugs". When sections of the crowd booed, she responded: "To all those booing, just wait till my husband gets out of incarceration. And I mean that."

Today Winehouse's father, Mitch, disclosed that he was furious at his daughter's new friendship with Pete Doherty, the Babyshambles, star.

The cab driver said he was "apoplectic" to see Mr Doherty, who has long been known for drug problems, out with his daughter.

"I do worry about people like Pete Doherty. He’s a scumbag," Mitch told Grazia magazine. "I flipped when I saw him sitting with Amy backstage at her Brixton gig. That night I went crazy. My wife thought I was going to have a heart attack, I was apoplectic."

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