Pete's 'clean' new love

Jan 14, 2008, 12:30 GMT

Pete EPA/ANDY RAIN

Pete Doherty's new girlfriend is a "clean-living" teenage model.

The troubled Babyshambles rocker - whose turbulent relationship with model Kate Moss ended last year - has reportedly been dating 19-year-old beauty Portia Freeman since last December after she watched him perform in London and went back to his Wiltshire home.

Pete's friend said: "Portia is probably the best thing to happen to Pete. She is a very clean-living girl and not at all into drugs."

The couple's budding romance began when they were introduced by Pete's ex-love Lisa Moorish - who has a four-year-old son Astile with the rocker.

At the time Portia - who grew up in the affluent Surrey area of Weybridge - was dating musician Stuart Le Page, but she ended that relationship to begin one with the 28-year-old recovering drug addict.

The friend added to Britain's Mail on Sunday newspaper: "Pete is trying to stick to a rehab programme and trying to stay clean. He is having regular counselling sessions and has been advised not to jump headfirst into a relationship. He wants to take things slowly.

"He really enjoys spending time with Portia, they love walking across the fields of the country estate where Pete lives."

Portia's family are said to be furious with the young catwalk beauty's choice of boyfriend, and her anthropology specialist father, Dr. Luke Freeman, has denied his daughter is dating Pete.

He fumed: "My daughter is not having a relationship with Pete Doherty."

Pete's manager Andy Boyd has refused to confirm the pair are a couple, but admitted they knew each other, saying: "I'm not saying that he and Portia don't know each other - I just don't think they are in a relationship."

(C) BANG Media International