Casualty and Holby City star Amanda Mealing admitted being high on cocaine when her car ploughed into an another vehicle, leaving the driver unconscious
Amanda Mealing left her cocaine car crash victim unconscious following their dramatic collision. The actress who is best known for playing no-nonsense talking Connie Beauchamp in the BBC medical dramas Casualty and Holby City pleaded guilty to driving her car while high on cocaine, leaving an off duty nurse seriously injured.
A court heard that Mealing, who played Clinical Lead of Cardiothoracic surgery in Holby City and Clinical Lead Casualty’s Emergency Department, veered her car across a road before colliding with Mark Le Sage’s car as he was heading to work. Mark, who was driving a 1.6ton Skoda Kodiaq, says he was left unconscious following the collision.
Prosecutor Marie Stace informed Boston Magistrates’ Court that Mealing, 57, who appeared under her married name of Amanda Sainsbury, sustained a head cut, a broken wrist and a broken clavicle in the January 2024 accident. Mealing admitted to driving under the influence of cocaine and driving without due care and attention. The court also heard how the actress and director 18mcg of cocaine in her blood, with the legal limit being 10mcg. The actress has been banned from driving for 22 months and orders to pay £485 in fines.
The court also found that Mealing 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.
Mark has since detailed his injuries and revealed how the crash has even caused him to change his career. Following the accident, Mark said he has been left unable to carry on his work as a theatre nurse due to a tremor which has left him unable to fill syringes.
Now, he claims he is also no longer able to stand on his feet for a long period of time and cannot tolerate the colder temperatures in an operating theatre. He has since changed his role to become a community mental health nurse. Mealing’s solicitor, Mr Edward Lloyd, told the court that the defendant does not accept Le Sage’s account of his injuries. He added that there is no evidence of that level of injury.
Mr Edward Lloyd, told the court: “In terms of the offence, my client pleaded guilty to drug driving at the very first opportunity. It’s something she’s deeply ashamed of. She’s not somebody who takes drugs at all. Her brother died of a drugs overdose when he was 18 and she says herself that she should have known better.”
Now Mark has discussed the crash. “I very nearly took my motorbike out that day,” he said, noting his injuries could have been a lot worse. After turning around a bend, Mr Le Sage claimed he saw Mealing’s Mini on the wrong side of the road before she appeared in front of him and hit his car. After Mark came around from being unconscious, he says he saw his car filling with smoke.
He told the Daily Mail: “My right foot was trapped under the pedal but I thought the car was on fire and I was just desperate to get out. I think the adrenalin kicked in and I was able to free myself. The driver’s side of the car was bashed but I got out myself out of the passenger side and fell into the road.
“I now know that the smoke was caused by the airbags going off but I didn’t know that at the time. I’m very lucky. The fire brigade told me afterwards that If I was in a smaller vehicle it might’ve been a different story.” But despite being knocked out, Mark’s natural instincts kicked in once he came around and he rushed over to help Amanda, who had blood pouring down her face.
He says that an off duty fire officer was travelling behind his car and instantly offered emergency first aid. Amanda was rushed to hospital but Mark was asked to make his own way to the emergency department when the ambulance which was travelling to him was diverted to another incident.
In court on Friday, Mark stated he didn’t believe Ms Mealing should be jailed for the crime. He told the publication that Amanda will have suffered like he had and due to having children, she shouldn’t be jailed.
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