Katie Price drink-driving crash: Star given suspended jail term

A judge told TV personality Katie Price she was lucky to avoid prison at her sentencing for a drink-driving crash.

The former model flipped her car near Partridge Green, West Sussex, on her way to visit a friend on 28 September.

District Judge Amanda Kelly, who handed Price a 16-week suspended jail term, said her "incredibly selfish" actions "could have easily killed somebody".

Sussex Police said it intended to appeal the sentence handed down at Crawley Magistrates' Court.

District Judge Kelly, sentencing, told the 43-year-old, who has been banned from driving on five separate occasions, she had "one of the worst driving records I have seen".

"You appear to think that you are above the law," she told Price, who was also handed a two-year driving ban.

Price had previously admitted drink-driving while disqualified and driving without insurance when she appeared at the same court on 29 September.

Her sentencing was adjourned at the time on the condition she have treatment at the Priory Centre, not commit any further offences, and be banned from driving in the interim.

"The public may be appalled to hear that I can't send you to jail today," District Judge Kelly said.

"But the law says that when a person has complied with the terms of their release then you have a legitimate expectation not to be sent to prison today, even though you deserve to spend Christmas behind bars."

She further sentenced Price to 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 sessions of rehabilitation work with probation, adding that she had shown "no concern for the lives of others" at the time of the crash.

The court heard no other vehicles were involved in the crash on the B2135, which happened just before 06:20 BST.

Price was taken to hospital, where she told police: "I took drugs, I should not be driving, I admit it all."

The court heard a drugs wipe gave a positive reading for cocaine and a roadside breath test was positive for alcohol.

Joe Harrington, defending, said: "It's a complicated driving history. Things tend to be quite complicated with this lady.

"She does not deal with her problems, particularly with paperwork."

Supt James Collis, head of roads policing for Sussex and Surrey police, said he intends to appeal the sentence if possible.

He said: "Today's sentencing, as the judge explained, could have and should have been much worse and, in our view, Price is lucky to not being spending Christmas behind bars.

"Given the circumstances and her history of motoring offences, it's clear she did not consider the risk of her actions to the wider public or the implications for her own family.

"We are now exploring whether we can appeal this sentence."

Price was ordered to pay £213 in costs, with the hearing told she already owes the court £7,358.

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