Alan Carr’s estranged husband Paul Drayton was tearful as he was jailed for 14 weeks today after a judge dismissed claims he is ‘absolutely petrified’ by prison and accused him of ‘dicing with death’ by drink driving with an ‘off the scale’ level of alcohol in his blood.
The 50-year-old actor was warned it was a ‘miracle’ no one was killed when he got behind the wheel to go to a West Sussex Co-op close to his mansion while almost five times over the legal limit.
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 farmhouse he shared with his comedian husband 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.
Their relationship was also put under further strain when Drayton took to Instagram and posted a picture of himself with a black eye, telling a follower: ‘We had a bad row’. He later apologised and said he punched himself in the face during a drunken binge because ‘I hate myself’, insisting ‘Alan has never hit me’. Mr Carr then put out a statement saying his husband ‘would be getting all the help he needs to get better’.
Drayton was sentenced at Brighton Magistrates’ Court this afternoon. Originally he denied the drink driving charge claiming the breathalyser was dodgy but pleaded guilty at Brighton Magistrates’ Court in November.
Today his solicitor John Dye had asked for his client to be spared jail, insisting he was ‘absolutely petrified’ of going to prison and was battling ‘demons’ including an addiction to booze.
Mr Dye said Drayton was suffering a ‘perfect storm’ of problems including falling back into alcoholism, 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, District Judge Amanda Kelly said Drayton 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’.
Afterwards the drink driver’s lawyer, Mr Dye, launched an immediate appeal against the sentence. The judge told him the correct procedure was for him to appeal the case to crown court and refused Drayton bail. A hearing is likely this Friday, where he could be freed.
Paul Drayton, 50, (pictured at Brighton Magistrates’ Court today) was accused of drink-driving and was initially denying the charge until pleading guilty last year. He was jailed for 14 weeks this afternoon
Drayton officially split with his husband of three years, last week. 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’
The couple were married by Adele in her LA garden in 2018, left, after more than a decade together. Unfortunately their relationship, which began 13 years ago, ended recently
Alan Carr’s marriage to Paul Drayton never recovered after his alcoholic husband shared photo sporting a black eye and claimed it happened after they’d ‘had a row’
Shocking: Alan Carr’s relationship with Paul Drayton never recovered after his alcoholic husband shared a picture of himself with a black eye and claimed it was after the couple had ‘had a row’
Alan Carr’s relationship with Paul Drayton never recovered after his alcoholic husband shared a picture of himself with a black eye and claimed it was after the couple had ‘had a row’.
The funnyman believed Paul’s Instagram post in April last year, which showed him sporting the injury alongside the caption ‘we had a row’, risked ruining his career.
Never: Paul removed the photo from Instagram within an hour after telling a fan ‘We had a bad row’ and took to Instagram the next day to insist the comedian, 45, ‘has never hit me’
And close friends of the chat show, 45, host feel that was the ‘final straw’ in their rocky relationship which was strained due to Paul’s booze problems.
Alan is now being comforted by close friend Adele, whom he supported during her high-profile divorce from Simon Konecki.
A source told MailOnline: ‘Alan knew Paul’s claim was potentially career threatening and could have had disastrous consequences.
‘They managed to correct the situation, leaving Alan’s reputation intact, but it could have been so much worse and the final straw in a line of issues.
‘Alan has been leaning on Adele during hard times, like he was there for her during her marriage break up.
‘It’s sad for everyone involved but the time was right to split.’
Paul, 50, removed the picture of himself with the black eye after an hour and the following day released a statement confirming ‘Alan would not and has never hit me.’
The Chatty Man star responded by explaining Paul’s injury was a result of him ‘being back on the wagon’ and he had not been involved in the incident, as he was filming in Wales at the time.
He also revealed Paul ‘would be getting all the help he needs to get better.’
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.
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.
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 hood.
The incident took place in Broadbridge Heath, Horsham, around three miles from where he and Mr Carr live in a £2.7 million home
‘Sobriety’: Paul shared a statement on Instagram about the separation, explaining that he ‘proactively’ checked himself into rehab at the beginning of 2022 to seek help for alcoholism
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’.
Rehab stints, lockdown temptations and a drink-drive charge: Paul Drayton’s battle with alcohol
2016
Alan speaks out on Paul’s battle with booze for the first time, writing in his book Alanatomy that he began drinking more heavily after injuring his back in 2015.
Paul and Alan in November 2018 following Paul’s rehab stint earlier that year
‘It’s horrible when you realise how bad it’s got. You’re watching someone kill themselves,’ the star writes.
‘I wanted to leave him. It’s the lies that get you – the, ‘Oh I’ll never drink again’. And then you go out, realise you’ve forgotten your car keys, go back and… [Paul would be drinking.]
‘I couldn’t cope, because when I left the house, I didn’t know if he was going to have a fall, or put something on the hob and fall asleep. He was grey and shuffling around. It was like watching someone die.’
January 2018
Shortly after Alan and Paul return from their Mexico honeymoon, Paul checks himself into a rehab facility.
March 30 2020
Paul reveals he has gone 650 days without having a drink, posting on Instagram at the beginning of the first coronavirus lockdown: ‘Believe me I’m really tempted to have a few. Even if it’s Just to alleviate the bloody boredom! I wake up the next day so grateful I didn’t.’
August 2020
Alan reveals lockdown has tempted his teetotal husband to start drinking again. ‘It’s been tough for Paul during lockdown. He’s been saying, ”Oh, shall we get a bottle?” and I say, ”No, we’re not getting any rosé wine in”. He’s been so good and I’m so proud of him,’the comedian says.
August 2021
Drayton pictured at his court hearing dor drink-driving in November 2021
Paul shares a photo of himself with a black eye on Instagram and tells a fan ‘we had a bad row,’ before removing it within an hour.
The next day he insists Alan ‘has never hit me,’ writing on social media: ‘I’m feeling very fragile at the minute and would like to say that Alan would not and has never hit me. And I’m devastated that he has to deal with this today.’
Alan confirms in a statement shortly after his husband posted the black eye image the injury was a result of him ‘being back on the wagon’.
September 2021
Alan explains that he had given up alcohol to help his husband stay sober, revealing he had six months off that spanned Christmas and New Year but he had since returned to drinking.
‘It was the worst f****ing Christmas I’ve ever had. And my mother didn’t help by offering him a Bailey’s and going: ‘It’s only Bailey’s – what’s the worst that can happen!” Alan says of Paul.
November 2021
Paul pleads guilty at Brighton Magistrates to a drink-driving charge after getting behind the wheel while four times over the legal limit. He is warned that he faces jail by a judge who tells him it was a ‘miracle’ no one was killed.
Paul was accused of drink-driving after he reversed into a police car, narrowly missing a mother pushing a pram, while in his Mitsubishi 4×4 in West Sussex, just three miles from the £2.7 million home he shares with Alan.
Originally, he denied the charge.
Paul shares a post on NYD 2022 admitting 2021 had been full of ‘ups and downs’
January 1 2022
Paul shares a lengthy Instagram post on January 1, admitting 2021 had been full of ‘ups and downs’ as he apologises for hurting his loved ones. Paul says he takes ‘full responsibility for my actions and am sorry for any hurt I’ve caused at times when I was not myself’.
January 21 2022
The couple confirm they have separated and are divorcing after 13 years together. Paul shares his own statement on Instagram explaining that he checked himself into rehab at the beginning of the year ‘in order to get the help and support I need during this challenging time.’
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