Ray Wilkins is on a residential rehabilitation course at the Priory

[ian1964 10,514]

EX-ENGLAND international Wilkins is on a residential rehabilitation course at the Priory Hospital, his barrister said, adding that he would plead guilty to the drink-drive charge.

 

EX-RANGERS star Ray Wilkins is being treated at a rehabilitation centre for alcoholism, a court has heard.

 

The former England international was due to face magistrates in Uxbridge, west London, on Monday accused of drink-driving.

 

But after the 59-year-old failed to appear, his barrister said he could not attend because he was on a 28-day residential rehabilitation course at the Priory Hospital in Woking, Surrey.

 

The case was adjourned for a week, with chairman of the bench Nash Gill saying that Wilkins would be required to attend on July 25 or provide significant medical reasons why he could not.

 

His barrister, Sarah-Kate McIntyre, indicated to the court that Wilkins would enter a guilty plea to the charge.

 

The former midfielder, who also played for Chelsea and Manchester United, has twice previously been convicted of drink-driving and disqualified.

 

Wilkins was capped 84 times by the Three Lions, including at the 1986 Mexico World Cup.

 

He played abroad for AC Milan and Paris St Germain before going on to become a manager and coach for teams including Chelsea and Queen's Park Rangers.

 

He was arrested on July 1 on Northern Perimeter Road near Heathrow Airport and charged the following day.

 

He is accused of being almost three times over the drink-drive limit. He has two previous convictions for drink-driving from 2013.

 

Ms McIntyre told the court that if she could enter a plea on Mr Wilkins' behalf in his absence "it would be a guilty plea", adding: "I have firm instructions from Mr Wilkins that he accepts the prosecution case in its full form."

 

She continued: "He is realistic, given his previous, that you will be keeping your options (regarding possible sentences) open.

 

"The reason for his not attending today is because he is undergoing a 28-day rehabilitation programme at the Priory Hospital."

 

Ms McIntyre attempted to get the case delayed for six weeks, and then four weeks, in order for Mr Wilkins, from Cobham in Surrey, to complete his course.

 

She cited a letter from a psychiatrist at the Priory which said the stress of breaking the course to come to court could trigger a relapse.

 

But Mr Nash adjourned for a week, saying: "He has had ample opportunity to tell the prosecuting authority and the court of the dates. It is not satisfactory by any standard. It is procedurally not right, it is technically not right and, I may say, it's morally not right."

 

Read more at http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/former-rangers-footballer-ray-wilkins-8442937#PatpYiYuZxIdJDGJ.99

[cooponthewing 1,139]

Wouldn't fancy my chances in front of that judge! Good grief, he could have let him finish his rehab course, after all, the judicial system is, unless I am mistaken, still based on rehabilitation? Hardly comforting in his situation the judges attitude. I'm not condoning the drink driving, just that the attitude of the judge is a bit draconian, its not as if he nipped off on holiday to miss the hearing.

Edited July 18, 2016 by cooponthewing

[BEARGER 1,829]

Two previous drink driving convictions since 2013!! This ain't gonnae end well for Butch.

[SteveC 150]

Wouldn't fancy my chances in front of that judge! Good grief, he could have let him finish his rehab course, after all, the judicial system is, unless I am mistaken, still based on rehabilitation? Hardly comforting in his situation the judges attitude. I'm not condoning the drink driving, just that the attitude of the judge is a bit draconian, its not as if he nipped off on holiday to miss the hearing.

 

I think the stern words are not because he missed the date due to the course but that he didn't tell them in advance.

[Yorkshire Bear 0]

How many ex Rangers players and players from other teams have been ruined through alcohol ?.

[JFK-1 1,690]

How many ex Rangers players and players from other teams have been ruined through alcohol ?.

 

I don't think it's a Rangers issue. It's simply something that happens to people like retired footballers who have plenty of time and even more money. It can creep up on them. Couple of drinks here after a round of golf. Another couple after going for something to eat and when their lifestyle is largely golfing and relaxing as I said it can creep up on them and they develop a problem they didn't even know was there until it's too late.

[alexscottislegend 2,122]

Sad about Butch. I always thought him a real gentleman. Should have been managerial material.

[JFK-1 1,690]

One positive thing we can draw from it is that I doubt very much he is in the same desperate condition Gazza currently is. Gazza reminds me of a character in a film starring Nicholas Cage which I would highly recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it called leaving Las Vegas about a guy who has set out to deliberately drink himself to death.

 

A line from the film always stuck in my head which appears to demonstrate to some degree the total despair. At one point he says "I can't remember if my wife left me because I started drinking or if I started drinking because my wife left me"

 

The film may be so insightful because the author of the book it's based on was bringing a flask to work at age twenty and drinking vodka first thing in the morning at age twenty six. He was thirty three when he died after relapsing and committed suicide. The film is like a biography almost.

[cooponthewing 1,139]

Seen the movie JFK, and its a cracker, great story, i either don't know the background to it or I've forgotten so thanks for the details. I seen it a few years ago and its quite dark in places, also the humour is quite dark too which i enjoyed. To be fair, and i don't mean this in any way disrespectfully to Gazza, the character in the film we are discussing i don't think was as bad as they way Gazza appears.

Everyone has their own demons i guess, i genuinely wish Gazza well, as ive said in other posts i don't drink now either for various reasons, i hope he hasn't given up on himself, he could certainly do without idiots with cameras that's for sure.

[JFK-1 1,690]

Seen the movie JFK, and its a cracker, great story, i either don't know the background to it or I've forgotten so thanks for the details. I seen it a few years ago and its quite dark in places, also the humour is quite dark too which i enjoyed. To be fair, and i don't mean this in any way disrespectfully to Gazza, the character in the film we are discussing i don't think was as bad as they way Gazza appears.

Everyone has their own demons i guess, i genuinely wish Gazza well, as ive said in other posts i don't drink now either for various reasons, i hope he hasn't given up on himself, he could certainly do without idiots with cameras that's for sure.

 

While I like you have reservations about Gazaa being photographed in such demeaning circumstances another part pf me thinks but if he wasn't photographed like that would anybody who matters and could make a difference even know he was falling that far?

 

His lifelong friend Jimmy 5 bellies said that he hasn't seen or talked to Gazza in over a year and that was Gazza's doing because Jimmy had been critical of his drinking and drug taking. If it were not for these photographs someone like Jimmy who has known him all his life and could perhaps make a difference wouldn't even have been aware this is how far Gazza has fallen.

 

You have to think that going out to buy alcohol when clearly already blotto and not even bothering to get dressed is rock bottom. He's sitting naked in an apartment drinking himself into oblivion.