Winehouse 'too short' to punch fan

Amy Winehouse has told a court she is too short to have punched a fan in the face and that her trademark beehive makes her look taller than she is.

The 25-year-old "Back to Black" singer is on trial accused of hitting dancer Sherene Flash in the eye after the fan asked to take her picture following a September charity ball in London's Berkeley Square.

Winehouse told District Judge Timothy Workman that, at "Five foot two and a half inches or five foot three", she was too short to have hit the woman in the face.

Ms Flash is 5ft 7ins tall. "My hair does make a difference," said the singer, who sported her signature hairdo in court. Winehouse left the witness box to show the judge her shoes, which she said were similar to those she wore on the night of the alleged assault. "These are really flat. They don't even have a sole," she said.

Winehouse, known as much for her chaotic lifestyle as her soulful music, arrived at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court for the hearing dressed in a gray pinstripe suit.

Winehouse, who was granted a divorce from her husband Blake Fielder-Civil a week ago, gave her name in court as Amy Jade Civil and sat quietly, occasionally taking notes, as prosecutors outlined the case against her.

She appeared relaxed and healthy as she took the stand and denied punching Ms Flash. She said she had felt intimidated and annoyed when Flash "lunged at me and put her arm around me," and had only meant to push the other woman's arm away. "I pushed her up, like away. I wanted her away from me," Winehouse said.

"It was more like an indication of 'leave me alone, I'm scared of you."'

Prosecutor Lyall Thompson said the incident was "a deliberate assault by Miss Winehouse". "There was nothing accidental about Miss Winehouse's actions," he said.

Thompson said Winehouse initially agreed to have her picture taken, but may have been angered when a drunken friend of Flash tried to get into the photo. The trial was adjourned until Friday.