Jonathan Rhys Meyers will avoid spending time in jail following his 2020 DUI arrest, legal documents have shown.
In November 2020, the Bend It Like Beckham star was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol after police were called to the scene of a minor, solo car accident in Malibu.
Meyers was said to have shown signs of intoxication before failing a sobriety test.
Now, legal documents obtained by TMZ have shown that the actor was charged at the time with three offences – two DUI-related and one for reckless driving.
As part of his deal, Meyers pleaded guilty to the reckless driving charge. The other two were dropped, meaning he will not be sentenced to time in jail.
Instead, he will pay a $500 (£373) fine and be subject to a one-year summary probation, during which he must complete an alcohol education and counselling programme.
The Golden Globe-nominated actor has struggled with addiction issues in the past and has been to rehab multiple times.
In 2018, he was arrested as he touched down at LAX airport following a row with his wife on board a plane journey. Of the incident, he told Larry King that he was at fault for breaking his sobriety.
“When my wife found that I’d ordered a drink, she got very, very angry with me because I shouldn’t drink,” he said. “It doesn’t suit me and I had been sober for a long time.”
If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol addiction, you can confidentially call the national alcohol helpline Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 or visit the NHS website here for information about the programmes available to you.
