Alan Carr's husband jailed after drunkenly backing into police car
Paul Drayton drove whilst several times over the legal limit
Last updated 26th Jan 2022
Alan Carr's husband Paul Drayton is behind bars after drunkenly reversing into a police car with an alcohol test reading that was "off the scale".
During a trial at Brighton Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (January 26th), a court learned how Drayton, aged 50, got behind the wheel in October 2021 whilst several times over the legal limit.
The court heard how worried members of the public had called police on October 9th 2021, when they saw the defendant driving near Horsham in West Sussex shortly before 3pm.
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, accidentally reversing into the police car.
Drayton was later boxed in by other police vehicles to stop him from making a getaway and was arrested.
A breath alcohol test returned a reading of 153 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath - four times the legal limit and was described by the judge as "off the scale".
"Dicing with death"
John Dye, representing Drayton, said he had been suffering a "perfect storm in his life" when he got behind the wheel on that day.
He had been dealing with alcohol and mental health issues, had had to have a brain operation, and had been injured when falling from a horse, he told the court.
Mr Dye added: "And the final straw, as is now well documented, his private live as well.
"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 continued.
Despite feeling "absolutely petrified" about going to prison, Drayton was sentenced to 14 weeks in jail and banned from driving for three years.
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."