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Wednesday, 20 August 2008

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Pete Doherty's Babyshambles banned from festival

Moonfest cancelled as rocker's band is barred

Pete Doherty will now be free over the weekend after his Moonfest ban

Pete Doherty is barred from headlining Moonfest music festival in Wiltshire this Friday - so the event's been cancelled.

Police feared that, if his band Babyshambles were to perform at the three-day event, there could be a potential riot.

It follows the group’s set at the Royal Albert Hall recently, which ended with fans climbing on stage.

Chippenham Magistrates' Court, using section 160 of the Licensing Act 2003, ruled that Babyshambles posed a risk to public order.

‘We have carried out an analysis of what Doherty does,' a police spokesman tells The Independent.

'His band speed up and then slow down the music and create a whirlpool effect in the crowd. Then the crowd starts fighting.

‘We became concerned because the organiser did not appear to have due cognisance of all the risks.

'You are talking of as many as 5,000 people in what is effectively an open field.'

Pete's manager Andy Boyd says he is 'livid' at the court's decision.