Alan Carr's estranged husband Paul Drayton jailed after drunkenly backing into police car in West Sussex

Paul Drayton, 50, was ‘gambling with the lives of others’ when he got behind the wheel while several times the legal limit, a court heard.

He was seen swerving from side to side as police pursued him near his home in West Sussex in October last year.

Drayton, who has battled alcoholism and recently announced his split from comedian Alan Carr, his partner of 13 years, was told by the judge he had been

‘dicing with death’.

He appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to a single count of driving a motor vehicle when alcohol level above limit at an earlier hearing.

The court heard how worried members of the public had called police on October 9 last year, when they saw Drayton driving in Broadbridge Heath, 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.

‘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.

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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.

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.’

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.’

The judge said the breath alcohol test reading was ‘a reading so high it’s off the scale’.

Drayton was jailed for 14 weeks and banned from driving for three years.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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