The husband of comedian and tv presenter Alan Carr was reported to the police for nearly colliding with a mum pushing a pram and reversed into the patrol car when stopped for driving over four times the limit, a court heard yesterday.
Paul Drayton (L) Alan Carr (R)
Paul Drayton, 50, of Toat Farm, Bashurst Hill, Itchingfield, Horsham appeared at Crawley Magistrates’ Court, where he indicated he would fight the charge.
He was stopped three miles away from the home he shares with the entertainer, which was bought for £2m in 2011 and is now valued at £2.75m.
Drayton is charged with driving a silver Mitsubishi 4x4 on October 9 in Wickhurst Lane, Broadbridge Heath, Horsham with 153 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
The legal limit is 35.
He will claim the police breathalyser was incorrect.
Prosecutor David Holman told court: “Police received a call, reporting a suspected drink-driver outside a Co-op.
“The vehicle almost struck a female with a pram and the officers began searching for the vehicle and fifteen minutes later police noticed a silver Mitsubishi and stopped the vehicle.”
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| Paul Drayton leaving Crawley Magistrates' Court |
Drayton claims the Co-op report was another driver with the witness to that incident only matching four out of seven of the numbers and letters on his plate.
“The police noticed the Mitsubishi was swerving from one side of the road to the other and suspected the driver may be impaired,” explained the prosecutor.
“The vehicle was stopped and then reversed into the police vehicle, a light touch with no damage caused.
“The acting Police Sergeant says the vehicle that was swerving from side to side had damage to the rear driver’s side.
“He activated the blue light and siren and indicated for the vehicle to stop.
“The officer then saw the reverse lights come on and back up and make contact and shouted at the driver to stop.
“When he went to the driver’s side he turned off the engine and says there was a strong smell of intoxicating liquor and ordered the driver out of the car.
“The driver was unsteady on his feet and lacked co-ordination. His speech was slurred and his eyes were glazed and he was arrested.
“This is a very high reading and police imposed a condition of bail that Mr Drayton does not drive any vehicle.”
The court bailed Drayton unconditionally - dropping the police-imposed requirement - to appear for a case management hearing at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on November 23.
Drayton went to remarkable pre-arranged efforts not to be photographed outside the courthouse.
He left wearing a facemask and a beanie-style hat pulled down, almost covering his eyes.
A female driver was employed, who parked in a restricted area as close to the court building as possible in a vehicle with blacked-out windows.
A rear passenger-side door was opened in advance and the driver sat with the engine running as Drayton quickly ducked inside the vehicle, his eyes fixed on the car.
He could not be seen in the back as it sped away.
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