Former X Factor Contestant Chico Found Guilty of Drink-Driving Offence
Yousseph Slimani, the singer known as Chico from his appearance on The X Factor, has been convicted of drink-driving after a lengthy whisky session triggered by personal grief. The 55-year-old, who rose to fame with the hit single It's Chico Time, was disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined £600 following the incident.
Details of the Offence and Court Proceedings
Slimani was found to have 40 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath while driving a Vauxhall Astra in Chase Way, Southgate, on December 13 last year. This exceeded the legal limit of 35 micrograms. The case was heard at Willesden Magistrates' Court on Thursday, April 9, where Slimani appeared wearing a maroon silk shirt and placed his cowboy hat on the table during the trial.
In court, Slimani explained that he had consumed Famous Grouse whisky for six hours, from 1am to 7am, after the devastating loss of a close friend. He described feeling like he was going out of his mind due to the bereavement, which led him to break his teetotal lifestyle. Later that day, at around 5:30pm, he took Nyquil, a cold and flu medicine similar to Night Nurse, before being pulled over by police at approximately 6:30pm.
Slimani's Personal Account and Legal Consequences
Slimani, who lives in north London, told the court that this was his third bereavement involving friends in their 50s with terminal cancers, all non-smokers and non-drinkers. He stated, On that fateful day, I'm teetotal, I don't drink, and it felt like I was going out of my mind, couldn't take it, so I drank. He claimed he had not consumed alcohol since the incident and had been using Nyquil for what he described as a flu or long Covid symptoms.
However, he admitted to not informing police about the medication when asked about other drugs or medicines. Slimani expressed concern over the implications of his arrest, saying, All I could think of was the implications of me being arrested for something that goes completely against what I am and what I do, including his sobriety and charity work. He added that his fears of press attention, reputation loss, and work loss had all come true, calling it a catastrophe.
Evidence and Sentencing
Slimani's solicitors provided information to toxicologist Sarah Morley, indicating he consumed 810 millilitres of Famous Grouse whisky and 30 millilitres of an unspecified Nyquil product containing alcohol. Morley calculated that the Nyquil contributed 2 milligrams per 100 millilitres to his breath alcohol level, though she noted she could not verify the accuracy of the information provided.
Arresting officer PC Yuksel testified that he observed Slimani's quite vivid facial expressions and animated demeanour, which suggested he was under the influence of alcohol. When asked about alcohol consumption, Slimani's demeanour changed from happy and expressive to defensive. He failed a breath test but was calm and compliant during arrest and subsequent breathalysis at the police station.
In addition to the fine, Slimani was ordered to pay a £240 surcharge and £620 in costs. He was offered a drink drivers' rehabilitation scheme, which could reduce his disqualification by a quarter if completed. District Judge Mark Jabbitt stated, It is inevitable that I will find the case proven, expressing sympathy for the bereavements but not for the excessive drinking or failure to check medication effects on driving.
