From the heights of TV stardom to a devastating collision on Lincolnshire's roads, Amanda Mealing’s life recently took a dramatic turn. The Casualty actress shocked the nation after crashing her Mini Cooper into a nurse’s SUV while under the influence of cocaine.
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What exactly happened during Amanda Mealing’s car crash?
On 26 January 2024, Amanda Mealing, known for playing surgeon Connie Beauchamp on Casualty and Holby City, was driving her Mini Cooper on the A1175 near Hop Pole, Lincolnshire. Under the influence of cocaine taken the previous night, her car drifted across the road, crashing head-on into a Skoda Kodiaq driven by theatre nurse Mark Le Sage, as noted by The Independent and Daily Mail. The collision occurred at 10.14 am, only a short distance from her home in Deeping St Nicholas, Lincolnshire.
According to Lincolnshire Police, Mealing tested positive with 18mcg of cocaine (legal limit 10mcg) and 240mcg of benzoylecgonine (legal limit 50mcg) in her system. Her solicitor, Edward Lloyd stated:
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.
Mr Le Sage described the horrific incident to MailOnline, stating:
I was very lucky I was in such a substantial car, I very nearly took my motorbike out that day.
He recounted a frightening moment of 'an explosion and his car began to spin,' adding that when he regained consciousness, the car was filled with smoke.
Mr Le Sage revealed:
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.
He later discovered that the smoke had been caused by the airbags deploying, though he didn't realise this at the moment. Le Sage acknowledged his good fortune, explaining that firefighters informed him afterwards that if he had been driving a smaller car, the outcome could have been far worse.
Mealing pleaded guilty at Bolton Magistrates Court and received a 22-month driving ban, a £485 fine, £400 in court costs, and a £194 surcharge.
Amanda Mealing car crash victim reveals the life-changing effect on him
The crash left Mr Le Sage, a father-of-three and grandfather-of-five, with serious long-term injuries, forcing him to abandon his career as a theatre nurse. He has openly shared about his ongoing physical and psychological trauma, including impaired motor skills, severe chronic pain, flashbacks, and nightmares. He revealed he is no longer able to play water polo and has had to buy a lighter keyboard in order to continue performing with his local band, Zebra.
However, the court decided against issuing a compensation order, concluding it was a matter to be resolved by the involved insurance companies.
Despite his own suffering, Le Sage compassionately stated:
I did not think it was appropriate for her to be jailed.
Adding:
I'm glad it's over for my family and I'm so lucky and grateful for their support over what has been a very difficult time.
I hope the Sainsbury family can now also get on with their lives.
The reality behind Amanda Mealing’s horrific car crash
Tragically, the circumstances leading up to Mealing’s collision reflect an extremely distressing period in her life. Lloyd revealed that she had recently endured a series of devastating events, including the death of her father, her beloved dog, and her best friend. Lloyd told the court, as per Mirror:
Within a short space of time her father had died, she had to put her dog down and her best friend had died. So all of these events occurred. It was deeply, deeply upsetting.
Simultaneously, Mealing has been navigating painful divorce proceedings from Richard Sainsbury, her husband since 1998. The couple has two sons together, Otis and Milo. Lloyd added:
Unfortunately it came at a terrible moment in her life. She tells me she was undergoing divorce proceedings from her husband, which was extremely upsetting.
Further intensifying her hardships, Mealing is battling blood cancer, leaving her unable to work and reliant on a modest monthly income called a ‘token salary’ of £935 a month from her employer. Lloyd emphasised her struggles:
She is, however, a lady who has significant health problems. She suffers from blood cancer, so she's not working at the present time.
A look into her life full of struggles
This recent crash is not the first instance of profound adversity in Amanda Mealing’s life. At just 15, Mealing tragically lost her older brother, Stephen, to a heroin overdose—a loss she has described as life-altering. In 2021, she said:
He was 14 years older than me, but we were incredibly close.
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.
Mealing also endured the emotional upheaval of discovering she was adopted at age 30. Her search for her biological roots uncovered her birth mother, a former Biba model from London's swinging sixties, and revealed the sad news that her biological father, a Ghanaian poet, had already passed away.
In 2002, just days after giving birth to her second child, Mealing was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought bravely, recovered, and became an outspoken advocate for breast cancer charities, sharing her experiences openly to help others.
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Sources used:
The Independent: Casualty star admits taking cocaine before crashing car into nurse
Daily Mail: Revealed: Heartbreaking reasons why Casualty and Holby City actress crashed her car into a nurse while high on cocaine - seriously injuring him
Mirror: Casualty star Amanda Mealing's life and 'trio of tragedies' before cocaine-fuelled crash
Mirror: Casualty star Amanda Mealing's dark spiral from romcom stardom to drugs and tragedy
The Sun: I was nearly killed by Casualty star Amanda Mealing who ploughed into my car while high on cocaine at 10.14am
