PETE DOHERTY - EXILED LIBERTINE VICTIM OF STREET ATTACK

Troubled PETE DOHERTY has been attacked by a man near his home in Farringdon, central London.

The singer-songwriter - who is suspended from THE LIBERTINES until he beats his addiction to crack cocaine - was punched and kicked in the head by a thug yesterday morning (21AUG04).

Doherty was then dragged into a nearby road where he was hit by a moving vehicle after his attacker threatened to stab him. The scared 25-year-old then managed to escape by flagging down another car.

Doherty escaped relatively unscathed from the incident - he suffered minor cuts and bruises and did not require hospital treatment.