Katie Price escapes jail for booze & cocaine-fuelled crash on her sixth ban — making ‘mockery of justice’

KATIE Price avoided jail yesterday for a booze and cocaine-fuelled car crash during her sixth road ban — leaving campaigners furious at a “mockery of justice”.

She got a suspended term after rehab and a Vegas holiday.

PA

An ex-cop said: “Anyone else would spend Christmas in jail.”

Repeat offenders would usually face a minimum of 12 weeks behind bars.

But because Price went to rehab and complied with a deferral — even while on holiday in Las Vegas — her sentence was reduced below the custody threshold.

At Crawley magistrates’ court yesterday, District Judge Amanda Kelly admitted the public would be “appalled” — and that Price deserved to be spending Christmas behind bars.

She added: “Your actions on that night were incredibly selfish.

“When you chose to get behind the wheel of the car that night, you showed no consideration for others. You could have killed someone’s child, partner, parent or friend.

“You appear to think, it seems, that you are above the law.”

Last night police said they would try to lodge an appeal.

And Ceinwen Briddon, 51, whose daughter Miriam, 21, was killed by a drink-driver, said: “Just because she has got money she thinks she is above the law.

“It is just pure luck she has not killed anyone.

“The fact is if she was already banned and then did it again it should have been an automatic jail sentence.”

Ceinwen, of Carmarthen, added: “If such lenient sentences are given out to celebrities and other people it is not really a deterrent.

“It makes a mockery of the whole justice system.”

Kirsty Martell, 35, whose brother Frank, 21, was killed by a drink-driver in 2017, said: “It’s a disgusting sentence. Price has escaped with a slap on the wrist.

“This is just another example of how drink-driving isn’t taken seriously until someone is killed.”

Retired policeman John Scruby, from the Campaign Against Drink Driving, said: “I was fully expecting her to be told she would be spending Christmas behind bars.

“That is what would happen to any normal member of the public who had committed this offence.

“When I heard she’d received a non-custodial sentence, I was absolutely gobsmacked.”

SLUMPED IN PASSENGER SEAT

Supt James Collis, Head of Roads Policing for Sussex Police and Surrey Police, said: “Today’s sentencing, as the judge explained, could have and should have been much worse.

“We are now exploring whether we can appeal this sentence.”

A passer-by rescued Price from the wreckage of her BMW X5 on the B2135 at Partridge Green, West Sussex — three miles from her home — at 6am on September 28.

She was found slumped in the passenger seat by the man, who smashed the window and dragged her to safety.

Price was nearly twice the drink-drive limit and told cops “I don’t care” when her cocaine swab test came back ­positive.

She had been drinking and snorting coke all night and blew a reading of 66 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

She told officers at the scene: “I am guilty. I had alcohol. I took drugs. I should not be driving. I admit it all.”

Price was on her way to see a friend because she was “lonely”.

She admitted driving while disqualified, without insurance and while unfit through drink the day after the crash.

Magistrate Julie Hutton deferred sentencing.

Under the terms of the deferral Price was sent to The Priory clinic for rehab and told not to reoffend.

Yesterday Judge Kelly blasted her as selfish and said she was lucky to avoid prison.

You could have killed someone’s child, partner, parent or friend. You appear to think, it seems, that you are above the law.

District Judge Amanda Kelly

The former model only got a further two-year ban plus 100 hours of community service.

Price must complete 20 rehab sessions and was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a £128 victim surcharge.

She also owes £7,538 in unpaid court fines but that case was pushed back to January 24.

Judge Kelly told the Loose Women star: “You have one of the worst driving records I have seen. You are extremely lucky that the magistrates on the previous occasion chose to defer sentence. Your actions on that night were incredibly selfish.”

Judge Kelly was bound by strict rules because of the deferral deal signed off after the first hearing.

Under the scheme, courts can delay sentencing for up to six months to take into account offenders’ behaviour after they have been convicted

Price, wearing a blue puffy coat, white trousers and trainers and a facemask, did not speak as she was surrounded by photographers outside court.

She spoke only to confirm her name, address and date of birth at the hearing.

She was supported by her stepdad Paul and fiance Carl Woods, 32, and showed no emotion as she was let off the hook.

Her defence solicitor Ben Harrington told the court Price has an “awful lot going on” and “doesn’t deal with problems”.

He said she lives a chaotic life and added that Carl told him Price once had £7.50 charges for the Dartford Crossing which ­spiralled to £1,400 after she failed to pay.

She has repeatedly flouted the rules of the road, and her latest ban came in October 2019 for refusing to tell police who was driving her garish pink Range Rover in a crash.

FLOUTED THE RULES

Price was handed a two-year disqualification, slashed to 18 months on appeal.

She expected to get her licence back in April, but was told by the DVLA she was banned for a ­further six months.

A month earlier The Sun ­published pictures of her risking jail by driving a Range Rover during her ban — but police did not investigate.

We also told how she was reported to police for allegedly driving Carl’s white BMW on to the driveway of her mansion — but officers could not investigate it further due to lack of evidence.

Price was first banned from driving in 2010, following offences of failing to properly control her horsebox and speeding.

After leaving The Priory, she and Carl flew to Las Vegas for a luxury break. Last week they drove to Belgium so Price could get her 13th boob job, plus lipo and bum fat reduction.

The Mega Agency

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