Katie Price’s family rally round star as she is arrested for drink-and-drug driving after crash

Katie Price‘s family has put out an emotional statement rallying around the troubled star, saying they are ‘concerned’ for her wellbeing following her arrest for smashing her BMW during an alleged drink and cocaine binge.

The former glamour model, 43, who is currently serving a six-month driving ban, was said to be in a ‘bad way’ when police arrived and allegedly arrested her at the crash site on a rural lane in Sussex this morning.

The mother-of-five, who remains in hospital following the horror crash, now faces jail after six previous disqualifications.

In a post on Ms Price’s Instagram, her family put out a statement, saying she needs help and treatment for her mental health issues.

They wrote: ‘As a family we have for some time been concerned about Kate’s wellbeing and overall mental health.

‘Today our worst fears nearly came true. As a family we have been and will continue to help Kate get the help she needs.

‘We hope that she will realise that she cannot battle her issues alone.’

It is not clear who put out the statement, with the post signed off by ‘the Price family’.

The former I’m A Celebrity star has five children with three former partners.

Her eldest child, Harvey, 19, was born to Price and footballer Dwight Yorke, who has played no role in his son’s upbringing, despite the teenager’s severe disabilities.

Katie then had a relationship with singer Peter Andre after their romance blossomed during filming of I’m A Celebrity in 2002.

They married in 2005 and Katie gave birth later that year to Junior, and the couple also share a daughter, Princess.

Katie revealed she later suffered a miscarriage before the couple divorced, and they both continued to raise their two children.

She later married MMA fighter Alex Reid before splitting in 2011, before marrying her third husband Kieran Hayler in 2013. 

Kieran and Katie share a son and a daughter, Jett, born in 2013, and Bunny, born a year later.

She has since dated personal trainer Kris Boyson and Carl Woods, her current fiancé.

It is understood that Junior, Princess, Bunny and Jett are staying with their fathers Peter Andre and Kieran Hayler.

Meanwhile Harvey will stay at his residential college in Cheltenham.

Katie previously revealed her children threatened to disown her if she took up drugs again.

She told The Sun earlier this year: ‘All the kids say I am so much better now, but they say, “Mum if you ever get back to how you were, we are never going to speak to you again’. I tell them they never have to worry because I wouldn’t go back there.”‘

The family statement continued: ‘We are concerned and worried about her deeply, we know she lives her life publicly and to many she is fair game, but as a family we hope she can find her path privately moving forward during this very difficult period in her life.

‘We are not asking for sympathy – just that it is recognised that Kate is unwell.

‘We take great comfort in reading the messages of support and love for Kate that we will pass on to her, in the hope that these positive messages will help spur her on.

‘It takes great strength for one to acknowledge they need help, we hope the door is now open for Kate to learn to love herself and to be happy within. Mental illness is not a personal failure.’

Katie’s fiancé Carl also posted a statement on his Instagram, saying: ‘Relationships are tested. People test each other – but when you love someone like I love Katie, you enjoy the highs and good times together.

‘And that bond is tested during the low and difficult times together. 

‘Katie is a rough diamond. She has her imperfections. However, they make her perfect to me.

‘She just needs that extra help to be polished. The sunlight will shine through  her once again and the sparkles that she brings to everyone will return. I love you Katie 100 per cent. My dolly. Always here. Always will be.’ 

Katie could face jail time following her accident today if found guilty, because she is still serving a six-month driving ban driving after refusing to tell police who was driving her pink Range Rover following a crash in Bexley, south east London in November 2018. 

She was disqualified in October 2019 for 18 months and was due to return to the wheel in April this year, but an administrative error resulted in the ban being extended for a further six months, it was reported. 

A source said: ‘Katie is on a downward spiral. It’s a new low, even by her standards.’

A picture – tweeted by a police officer – showed a damaged BMW lying on its side across a lane near the scene of the incident at just before 8am. Its mangled front is wedged into the bushes and an ambulance can be seen on the road behind.

Ms Price has been experiencing a turbulent year, and was recently seen with bruising to her face after an alleged assault at her home in Essex.

A source told The Sun: ‘Katie rolled her car and was in a bad way when police arrived. She’s in hospital now and everyone is desperately worried about her and why she was driving.’

It came just hours after Ms Price told Good Morning Britain of her pain that being disqualified from driving meant she could not visit her oldest son Harvey at his residential college when he calls to say he misses her. 

Asked by Susanna Reid how Harvey, 19, was doing, she replied: ‘Harvey’s in Cheltenham now, he keeps ringing me saying, ‘Mummy I miss you, I need your kisses and cuddles’, so it is quite hard.

‘Because obviously I don’t get my licence back until December, so I can’t just whizz in the car down there and it’s not close.’    

A second source told MailOnline today: ‘No other vehicle was involved in the accident but the car turned onto its side and partially left the road. The driver did not suffer serious injury but was taken to hospital.’

Although she currently does not live there, Ms Price still owns her 11-bedroom Sussex mansion in nearby Dial Post – four miles away – which she bought for £1.3million in 2014.

The property, which boasts a swimming pool, tennis court and horse stables, was nicknamed the ‘mucky mansion’ after it was ransacked by intruders last year.

They left the taps running causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage to property and Katie was forced to leave and moved in with her boyfriend Carl Woods in Essex.

The house is currently undergoing a major renovation which is the subject of a Channel 4 documentary and the glamour model has been seen filming in the area.

A resident said: ‘Luckily no other vehicles were involved in the crash and it happened away from houses. It sounds like the person behind the wheel is going to be okay.’ 

Sussex Police said today: ‘Police responded to reports of a single-vehicle collision on the B2135 near Partridge Green around 6.20am on Tuesday (September 28).

‘A woman, 43, was arrested on suspicion of driving while above the legal limit for alcohol and drugs, and has been taken to hospital to be checked over.

‘The road was blocked temporarily while recovery of the vehicle was arranged.’

The mother-of-five has a long history of problems behind the wheel and has been disqualified from driving six times since her first ban back in 2010 for six months.

During her current ban alone, she was caught driving while disqualified in January 2019, and had another three months added to her sentence.

The day before, Ms Price was seen driving her boyfriend Carl’s Land Rover on a public road in Hertfordshire.

A witness said: ‘They were heading in the direction of the M11. Katie looked anxious.

‘She seemed to be biting her nails. How can she be so stupid when she’s only got a few weeks of the ban left to go?’

The ban was issued to Ms Price after her famous pink Range Rover was involved in a crash in November 2018, after which Ms Price refused to tell police who had actually been behind the wheel.

Driving while disqualified can lead to an unlimited fine and jail time of six months.

Ms Price was first slapped with a driving ban in 2010 for six months.

This was for speeding – 83mph in a 70mph zone in West Sussex.

She was then disqualified for a year in 2012, after failing to respond to two speeding tickets.

Ms Price reportedly failed to inform police when she received the ticket for breaking the speeding limit in a 50mph limit on the A24 in Dial Post, West Sussex in 2017.

She claimed that she failed to see a pair of speeding tickets because her mother takes care of the mail.

The former model was ordered to pay a total of £75 and she was slapped with the 12-month driving ban.

In 2018, she was banned for another six months, totting up 12 penalty points on her driver’s licence.

During this ban, she was caught driving while disqualified in January 2019, and was given another three months.

A further three months were added to this ban a month after this, when she was convicted of drink-driving the previous October.

Ms Price was released by police pending further investigation on October 10 2018 following an alleged five-day bender that ended up with her being arrested for drink-driving after turning up uninvited to her on-off boyfriend’s birthday party.

At the time, she was receiving treatment at The Priory and meant to be abstaining from alcohol, but it has since been claimed that she went on a five day bender prior to her drink-drive arrest.

She had reportedly been enjoying Strawberry Daquiris with ex-boyfriend Alex Adderson after fearing the 25-year-old would think she is a ‘boring granny’ if she didn’t let her hair down.

Ms Price famously handed herself into police the previous July for driving while on a six-month ban, explaining at the time that she thought her ban was over.

Taking to Instagram, the former glamour model admitted that she thought the ban was done – but as soon as she realised it wasn’t confessed her wrongdoing to authorities to avoid a ‘guilty conscience.’

She said at the time: ‘Been on such an emotional rollercoaster the last 6 months and my head has been all over the place, so much so, that I thought my driving ban was up.

‘After driving to [son] Harvey’s hospital appointment I have NOW found out that I don’t get my licence back until 8th August.

‘With this on my conscience I called police and reported myself.

‘I’ve come such a long way and just want easy life now.

‘I have got out of a hole and am finally happy and looking forward to being my old independent self.’

The reality star received a £750 fine as well as £200 in costs and a £75 surcharge following her conviction, according to reports. 

A South East Ambulance Service spokesman said today: ‘I can confirm we were called at approximately 6.30am to reports of an RTC on the B2135 at Partridge Green.

‘One ambulance crew attended the scene and one person was assessed and treated before being taken to hospital.’