Actress Honeysuckle Weeks has admitted to drink-driving – but claims she got behind the wheel to escape being coerced into a threesome, a court heard.
The 43-year-old star of ITV’s Foyle’s War had been out drinking last November and was invited to stay the night with friends in Arundel, West Sussex, but the actress feared she’d be coerced into sex.
She left the house and despite being drunk got behind the wheel of her silver Honda CR-V SUV, Worthing Magistrates’ Court was told on Tuesday.
Weeks reversed into a parked car on Maltravers Street before driving off and then returning just 15 seconds later.
The incident was seen by an off-duty police officer who stopped the car and realised the driver was drunk.
After failing to carry out a roadside breath test, Weeks was taken to a police station where a breathalyser test showed she was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit. The test showed she had 78 micrograms in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35 micrograms.
Weeks, of Byworth, West Sussex, pleaded guilty to drink driving on Tuesday.
Mathew Howell, prosecuting, said: “On Monday 28 November last year at approximately 7.20pm the defendant was driving her vehicle in Arundel when she was seen to reverse into a parked car on the street.
“The defendant drove off from the scene before returning 15 seconds later. The vehicle was stopped and the police officer realised the driver was drunk.”
Weeks told magistrates she only got into the car after she felt she was in danger of being coerced into sex with a man and his lover.
“I was expecting to stay a night in a friend’s house in Arundel but the man in question invited his lover to the property and I was in danger of being coerced into sexual actions with them which I found extremely unwelcome,” she said.
She told magistrates she needed her car to take her son to school every day.
Weeks added that she was not earning any money at present and was only receiving Universal Credit.
Magistrates banned her from driving for 20 months and fined her £120 with £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £48.
Weeks agreed to undertake a drink driving awareness court which would reduce her driving ban by 20 weeks, meaning she could get her licence back in April 2024.
The case was heard at Worthing Magistrates’ Court
The actress told the court she was no longer living at the Chichester Centre in Chichester, West Sussex – a low security unit for treating people suffering from drug and alcohol problems.
In July 2016, Weeks, disappeared during a stay as a voluntary patient at a care centre near her home in West Sussex.
Sussex Police issued an appeal saying they were searching for Weeks who disappeared after exhibiting “concerning behaviour”.
However, she was later found safe and well and remained with police before returning to West Sussex.
Weeks stars in ITV’s Foyle’s War
