Alan Carr‘s estranged husband Paul Drayton was jailed for 14 weeks today by a judge who accused him of ‘dicing with death’ by drink driving with the level of alcohol in his blood ‘off the scale’.
The 50-year-old actor was warned it was a ‘miracle’ no one was killed when he got behind the wheel while almost five times over the legal limit last year close to his West Sussex mansion.
Drayton, 50, reversed into a police car, narrowly missing a mother pushing a pram, while in his Mitsubishi 4×4 last October, just three miles from the £2.7million home he shared with his comedian partner Alan, 45.
The couple were married by Adele in her Los Angeles garden in 2018, but separated officially last week – a year after Drayton ‘fell off the wagon’ and began drinking again having battled alcoholism.
Originally, Drayton denied the drink driving charge but pleaded guilty at Brighton Magistrates’ Court in November.
His solicitor John Dye asked for his client to be spared prison, saying he was suffering a ‘perfect storm’ of problems including falling back into alcoholism, recently been diagnosed with ADHD and had also suffered serious back and head injuries after falling from a horse. Mr Dye had said his ‘problems’ had ‘partly’ led to the failure of his marriage to comedian, Mr Carr.
But jailing him for 14 weeks this afternoon, District Judge Amanda Kelly said Drayton was ‘dicing with death’ when he climbed behind the wheel of his car and could have killed himself and others, adding: ‘I cannot treat you any differently to anyone else’.
She said: ‘Your driving was so impaired you were driving all over the road and you reversed into a police vehicle. You were dicing with death, gambling your life but also gambling the lives of others. The reading was so high it was off the scale.
Paul Drayton, 50, was accused of drink-driving and was initially denying the charge until pleading guilty last year. He was jailed for 14 weeks today
Drayton has split with his husband of three years. Mr Carr was back on stage last weekend in Southend, and appeared to be wearing his wedding ring
Stepping out: Alan looked straight-faced on Sunday after his Essex gig where he said his break-up was good news for a ‘horny groupie into chubby homosexuals’
Suzanne Soros, prosecuting, told magistrates a member of the public alerted police when they spotted Drayton drunk at a Co-op store in October last year and saw he was driving a car.
The couple were married by Adele in her LA garden in 2018, after more than a decade together
When they saw him drive off from the supermarket in his Mitsubishi 4×4, narrowly missing a woman pushing a pram, they called the police again.
Officers spotted the car and saw it swerving from side to side as they followed it down the road.
Miss Soros said: ‘They signalled for it to stop and he does stop. The defendant then reverses into the police vehicle.
‘They manoeuvre to prevent him from moving off and approach the vehicle. There was a strong indication of liquor and drunkenness.’
She said Drayton provided a blew a reading of 153mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath and was arrested.
John Dye, defending, said Drayton had faced a ‘perfect storm’ when the incident took place.
He said the alcoholic has relapsed, recently been diagnosed with ADHD and had also suffered serious back and head injuries after falling from a horse .
He said Drayton had also undergone emergency surgery on his brain after a neurological condition was diagnosed.
Mr Dye said Carr and Drayton had a smallholding at the farm where they lived and cared for rescue animals.
He said: ‘That relationship has broken down partly because the problems that Mr Drayton has.’
Sentencing him to 14 weeks in jail and disqualifying him from driving for three years District Judge Kelly said she recognised he battle against alcoholism but would not treat him any differently.
She said: ‘I’ve read about your battle with alcoholism and the breakdown of your marriage. It is clear you have a lot of demons.
‘I cannot treat you any differently to anyone else. People with alcoholism are under a duty to ensure it does not damage the lives of others. You could easily have killed or injured someone’s child, partner or friend.’
As well as jailing and banning him she also awarded a £128 victim impact surcharge and £125 court costs.
After he was jailed Mr Dye lodged an appeal against the sentence.
Drayton was charged with driving with 153mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – almost five times over the limit of 35mcg – though he initially claimed the breathalyser machine was not working properly.
Police had spotted the car after being alerted to a potential drink driver on October 9 last year.
They saw that it was swerving from side to side as they followed it before managing to stop it.
The police officer said: ‘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’. It was there he failed his breath test.
Alan Carr and his husband confirmed last week they were splitting up after three years of marriage and 13 years together.
A spokesman for Carr said the couple have made the decision ‘jointly and amicably’.
Alan reportedly ‘drank with fans’ after a comedy gig in Essex last week following the announcement.
The incident took place in Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, around three miles from where he and Mr Carr live in a £2.7 million home
He carried on with life as normal by getting straight up on stage, telling the crowd his break-up was good news for a ‘horny groupie into chubby homosexuals’, and was described as the ‘life-and-soul’ at an ‘impromptu afterparty’ at his hotel in Southend-on-Sea on Saturday.
A source told The Sun: ‘Alan was the life-and-soul following his gig in Essex and headed straight for The Seven Hotel where he was staying for an impromptu after party.
‘He spent the night buying drinks for guests and talking with them in the hotel bar until the early hours. Alan was in great spirits and had other guests in hysterics.’
The source added: ‘He didn’t shy away from his split with Paul either and was happy to speak about it. It was clear there was no bad blood and Alan made it clear he just wanted to get on with life.’
Alan told the sold-out audience at the Cliffs Theatre: ‘You might have read I am going through a divorce. I know it is always sad when couples go apart but it is good news if you’re a horny groupie into chubby homosexuals. Travelodge room 242…’
The star was also seen getting some fresh air as he walked through town on Sunday with a coffee in his hand. He wrapped up warm in a bright red coat with a faux fur trim around the hoo
Carr, 45, and Drayton, 50, were married by Adele in her Los Angeles garden in 2018.
The singer wrote on Instagram: ‘Seeing as the cats out the bag. I married two of my best friends in January. You know me, any excuse to dress up.’
Carr told ITV’s This Morning at the time: ‘Adele got ordained and she married us. She is the kindest and most sweetest. She sang my first dance.’ In a statement about the divorce, Carr’s spokesman said yesterday: ‘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.’
Last year, Carr told of his support after Drayton spoke about his struggles with alcoholism. The comedian said while he had been away for work, Drayton had ‘fallen off the wagon and started drinking again’.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
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