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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
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Sara-Aisha Kent & Brogan-Leigh Hurst

Alan Carr's estranged husband jailed for drunkenly driving into police car

Alan Carr’s estranged husband Paul Drayton was jailed today for 14-weeks.

He was handed the sentence during an appearance at Brighton and Hove Magistrates’ Court today.

Drayton wept as he admitted to drink-driving, and was also banned from driving for three years.

District Judge Amanda Kelly said he "diced with death" when he got behind the wheel.

She continued: "I've been given a lot of information about you and read your very powerful letter. I've heard about your battle with alcoholism, the breakdown of your marriage and the effect of lockdown on you.

"The sad reality is almost everybody comes into this room with lives that have been damaged in some way.

(PA)

"You gambled with your life and the lives of others.

"You could have easily killed someone's child, partner, family or friend."

Prosecutor Suzanne Soros said officers tracked him down and saw his vehicle "swerving from side to side".

Suspecting he was over the alcohol limit, they signalled for Drayton to pull over and he complied.

"The defendant then reverses into the police vehicle," Ms Soros said.

On October 9 2021, Sussex Police saw Paul, 50, swerving his car from side to side while driving at around 3pm on October 9 in Broadbridge Heath, Horsham - three miles from the home he shared with comic Alan.

When police pulled him over, Paul reversed his Mitsubishi 4x4 into their police car.

During a court appearance in November he was banned from driving and told he could be sent to jail for 12 weeks after he admitted to driving with 153 mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath at Broadbridge Heath in Horsham.

Paul - who has been struggling with alcohol addiction - was over four times the legal limit which is 35 mg in 100ml of breath.

Drayton pleaded not guilty to drink driving at an earlier hearing before changing his plea.

District Judge, Amanda Kelly, told Paul at the time: "The starting point for this offence is a 12 week prison sentence and that was for somebody with less alcohol and who didn't hit a police car.

"I will order a pre-sentence report but the overwhelming likelihood is you will be going to prison.

"You have endangered the public by driving around in that state.

"It is an absolute miracle you are here today and have not killed or maimed another member of the public.

"You are now disqualified from driving from today.

(Getty Images)

"Be as honest and open with probation as you can be, but custody is likely."

Melanie Wotton from the CPS told the court: "It was a little before three o'clock in the afternoon on October 9 when police received a call that there was a potential drink driver near the Co-Op.

"Police managed to locate the silver Mitsubishi.

"They noticed it was swerving from side to side as they are following it.

"The Mitsubishi then reverses into the police motor vehicle.

"It is clear the driver is intoxicated.

"He was unsteady on his feet and lacked coordination and is subsequently arrested.

"He was taken to the custody suite where he blew 153 of breath.

"That reading is outside of the sentencing guidelines, they go up to 150.

"This was not an early guilty plea, so Crown seek £150 costs."

On Friday, Alan and Paul announced they were ending their marriage.

They have been married for three years, but have been a couple for 13 years and said they have made the decision "jointly and amicably".

On Friday, in a statement to the PA news agency, their spokesperson said: "After 13 years as a couple and three years of marriage, Alan Carr and Paul Drayton would like to announce they are separating.

"They have jointly and amicably made the difficult decision to divorce and go their separate ways.

"We request that their privacy is respected at this sensitive time."

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