Alan Carr's husband Paul Drayton jailed after drunkenly reversing into police car
26 January 2022, 16:43 | Updated: 29 January 2022, 12:42
Alan Carr's husband Paul Drayton has been jailed after drunkenly reversing into a police car while four times over the legal alcohol limit.
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Drayton, who has battled alcoholism and recently announced his split from comedian Alan Carr, his partner of 13 years, was seen swerving as police pursued him near his home in West Sussex in October last year.
The 50-year-old was told he had been "dicing with death" as he appeared at Brighton Magistrates' Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to a single count of driving over the limit.
He was "gambling with the lives of others" when he got behind the wheel while several times the legal limit, a court heard.
Worried members of the public had called police on October 9 last year, after they saw Drayton driving in Broadbridge Heath, West Sussex shortly before 3pm.
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Drayton was found by officers "swerving his vehicle side to side", Prosecutor Suzanne Soros said.
They asked him to pull over, suspecting he was over the alcohol limit, and he complied.
"The defendant then reverses into the police vehicle", Ms Soros said.
Drayton was then boxed in by other police vehicles to prevent him making a getaway.
A breath alcohol test returned a reading of 153 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath - four times the legal limit.
John Dye, representing Drayton, said he had been suffering a "perfect storm in his life" when he got behind the wheel on that day.
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He said the "final straw" was his private life including his marriage breakdown from Alan Carr, which has been well documented.
"His partner of some 13 or 14 years - that relationship has broken down, partly due to the problems Mr Drayton has with alcohol," Mr Dye said.
Drayton had also been dealing with alcohol and mental health issues, had had to have a brain operation, and had been injured when falling from a horse, Dye told the court.
He said Drayton is "absolutely petrified" of going to prison.
Sentencing him, District Judge Amanda Kelly acknowledged his alcohol issues and the effect his marriage breakdown had had on him.
But she continued: "You were dicing with death when you got behind the wheel in that state.
"Not only were you gambling with your own life but you were gambling with the lives of others.
"You could easily have killed or seriously injured someone else's child, partner or friend."
She said his breath alcohol test reading was "so high it's off the scale".
Drayton was jailed for 14 weeks and banned from driving for three years.
An application to appeal against the sentence was lodged and bail was denied.
Drayton is expected to appear at Crown Court for the appeal at a later date.
