TV star admits crashing car into nurse while high on cocaine at 10.14am
Casualty and Holby City star Amanda Mealing has admitted to driving her car while on drugs and crashing, leaving a nurse at the wheel seriously injured.
Magistrates heard that Amanda drifted across the road before colliding with a Skoda, which was being driven by Mark Le Sage while on his way to work.
Marie Stace, the prosecutor, told the court that Amanda, who is 57, experienced a broken wrist, broken clavicle and a cut to the head in January 2024.
Amanda admitted to driving with cocaine in her system and driving without due care and attention. She was banned from driving for 22 months and ordered to pay a fine, totalling £485.
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Programme Name: Casualty - Portraits - TX: n/a - Episode: Casualty - Portraits (No. n/a) - Picture Shows: Connie Beauchamp (AMANDA MEALING) - (C) BBC - Photographer: Warren Orchard
She crashed her car at 10:14am (Picture: BBC)
The court heard Amanda, who’s married name is Amanda Sainsbury, had 18mcg of cocaine in her blood, with the legal limit being 10mcg.
She was also in excess of 240mcg of benzoylecgonine, which is the chemical that cocaine leaves after being metabolised in the body. This is almost five times over the legal limit of 50mcg.
Le Sage recalled hearing ‘an explosion’ and being aware of his car beginning ‘to spin’. Amanda’s Mini Cooper smashed into his Skoda on the A1175 at Hope Pole, near Stamford in Lincolnshire.
Ms Stace said: ‘He started to panic, the car was full of smoke and he couldn’t get out because his foot was stuck under the pedal. He did get out and was assessed by a paramedic who said he needed to go to hospital.
WARNING: Embargoed for publication until 00:00:01 on 17/12/2020 - Programme Name: Casualty - Series 34 - TX: n/a - Episode: Casualty - TX1 (No. TX1) - Picture Shows: ***EMBARGOED TILL THE THURSDAY 17TH DECEMBER 2020*** Connie Beauchamp (AMANDA MEALING) - (C) BBC - Photographer: Alistair Heap
Amanda played her Casualty role until 2021 (Picture: BBC)
‘There was a witness following the Mini, who said he assumed there was something in the road because it went onto the other side of the carriageway.
Ms Stace said that in a police interview Mealing admitted taking cocaine the night before.
In a victim impact statement which was read out in court, Le Sage said he’s been unable to continue his job as a theatre nurse as his fine motor skills have been seriously impacted.
Amanda has been married to screenwriter Richard Sainsbury since 1998, with whom she shares two sons.
WARNING: Embargoed for publication until 00:00:01 on 06/08/2019 - Programme Name: Casualty - Series 33 - TX: 10/08/2019 - Episode: Casualty - Series 33 - Ep46 (No. 46) - Picture Shows: Connie Beauchamp (AMANDA MEALING) - (C) BBC - Photographer: Alistair Heap
Amanda also works as a director (Picture: BBC)
In 2011 she reflected on the death of her adoptive brother Stephen, who died aged 32 from substance abuse. ‘He was 14 years older than me, but we were incredibly close,’ she told The Times.
‘I think he had dabbled in drugs as a teenager. But it was just an accident. It was a real tragedy for everyone and, yes, it did influence me. It reminded me that life can be short and I thought there’s no point sitting around. Go out and live each day.’
Amanda first appeared in the role of Connie Beauchamp in Holby City in 2004. She also regularly appeared in sister show Casualty.
During her time on the shows, she was involved in some huge storylines, including a battle with cancer, a violent assault and a diazepam addiction.
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