Former Corrie star Bruce Jones sentenced for driving offences : Corrieblog

By Mof Gimmers, TV Scoop

The former Coronation Street star Bruce Jones has had a funny old time of it since leaving the show. The actor, who played Les Battersby admitted last month that he pulled at the steering wheel of his wife's car as she drove along a busy road shouting "I'll kill us both!" whilst drunk.

Jones has been sentenced at Mold crown court to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

The actor pleaded guilty to dangerous driving a day after a jury heard his wife's evidence about how he subjected her to years of drink-fuelled physical and emotional abuse. He has since vowed to give up alcohol and save his marriage, reports the Guardian

The judge told him: "You threatened to kill both you and your wife and you jerked the steering wheel up and down, causing the car to swerve within its lane. It is fortunate for you and all others around you that your wife had her wits about her.

"It is all too easy to see if the cards had fallen differently this might have ended in a fatality for you or your wife or for many other drivers."

Medland was told that Jones is in a 26-week rehabilitation programme to tackle his addiction. He said: "The efforts you are making to turn your life around are impressive."

Jones was ordered to do 100 hours' unpaid work and complete a 12-month supervision order and was disqualified from driving for 18 months and must pay £1,000 towards costs.

Bruce played Weatherfield dosspot Les for 10 years until 2007, when he allegedly lost his job due to his drinking.

Dominic D'Souza, in mitigation, said Jones was four weeks into a six-week residential stay at a rehabilitation clinic. Following that he would undergo 20 weeks of cognitive and behavioural therapy and monitoring.

D'Souza said: "He is, for the first time in 20 years, beginning to acknowledge his alcohol problems."He apologises, primarily to his wife, and he has now got some insight as to how inappropriate his behaviour was. He is determined to clean himself up and sort himself out."