Whitehead death: Doherty and friends arrested

Rock star Pete Doherty is one of four people who have been arrested following the death of heiress Robin Whitehead in a flat in Hackney, east London in January.

Whitehead, 27, was the granddaughter of Teddy Goldsmith, founder of the Ecologist magazine, and a cousin of the Tory parliamentary candidate, Zac Goldsmith. She is thought to have died from a drug overdose while staying with Peter Wolfe, a 41-year-old musician also known as Wolfman - and a friend of Doherty.

Wolfe initially claimed he and Whitehead had been drinking tea before her death, but later changed his story, saying she had taken Valium and been drinking alcohol before passing out and choking on her own vomit. He called an ambulance when he found her body.

Wolfe had bought a bag of heroin two days before Whitehead died, but he insists he smoked it alone while the socialite was in another room.

Whitehead was filming a documentary, The Road to Albion, about Doherty's former band the Libertines before she died. She appears to have become close to the 31-year-old rock star, who has a charge sheet that includes possession of crack cocaine and heroin. Doherty, formerly the boyfriend of supermodel Kate Moss, visited Wolfe's flat on the days before and after Whitehead's death.

Wolfe and the flat's owner, a 53-year old woman, were arrested on Friday on suspicion of perverting the cause of justice, while Doherty and another friend, Alan Wass, a 28-year-old guitarist with The Lipstick Melodies, were arrested on suspicion of supplying drugs. All four have been bailed to return to court in April. ·