Rock star Pete Doherty has escaped being charged with assault but has received a caution for criminal damage after clashing with a photographer last year.

The Babyshambles singer allegedly chased photographer Cath Mead into a shop in the town of Crewkerne, Somerset on 22 August after she took a shot of his then girlfriend Irina Lazareanu.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police told Amateur Photographer that, on the evidence presented, the Crown Prosecution Service has decided that Doherty should not face further action regarding the alleged assault.

The police spokesman added: ?He has been given a conditional caution for criminal damage.?

It is believed that the photographer, 22, wasn’t seriously injured but damage was caused to her camera.

Doherty had been posing for photographers before the incident.

Doherty appeared at Yeovil Police Station yesterday (20 January).

We understand that he had been expected to appear at Crewkerne Police Station but the location was changed at short notice to nearby Yeovil, to avoid a media ?scrum?.

Doherty was formally arrested and released on police bail in December.