Pete Doherty 'in fear of his life'

Jailed rocker Pete Doherty was last night in fear of his life -- after learning that heroin suppliers he owed money to planned to cripple him.

The 'Babyshambles' singer, 29, has been put into the segregation unit at West London's tough Wormwood Scrubs prison for his own safety.

Doherty was told by prison officers of the threats against him by inmates who gave him drugs on credit -- and is said to have gone "white with fear".

A prison insider said: "There are more drugs in here than outside.

"Pete is being given methadone to help wean him off smack but he is still desperate for it and has got well out of his depth.

"He has been writing IOU’s to the dealers and getting his gear on credit. But he has not paid up and they have realized they have been stitched up.

"There are some very heavy people who have lost money and want to hurt him bad. They won’t kill him – but it will be a pan of boiling water job with sugar in it, to scar him good and proper."

It was revealed Monday that the junkie rocker -- who is serving 14 weeks for breaching probation by failing drug tests -- was injecting heroin while in prison.

The next day, Pete was reportedly strip-searched by four guards wearing latex gloves. It is not known if any drugs were found. Prison officers gave him the option of segregation for his protection or remaining on the main wing.

Sources confirmed to British newspaper The Sun that Doherty elected to go into segregation -- normally used as a punishment for disciplinary offenses.

His solicitor Sean Curran said he had been informed the rocker was in the segregation unit.

Doherty is expected to be moved to an open prison as soon as space is available.