Former X Factor contestant was fined £600 and disqualified from driving for 12 months after court heard he drank whisky for six hours following friend’s death from cancer
Former X Factor star Chico has been found guilty of drink-driving after telling a court that his arrest occurred hours after he ended his sobriety. Chico, whose real name is Yousseph Slimani, told Willesden Magistrates’ Court that he consumed Famous Grouse whisky for six hours following the loss of a third mate to cancer.
The performer, now 55, made it to the quarter finals of the TV talent show’s 2005 series and subsequently released a number one single, It’s Chico Time.
He donned a maroon silk shirt and positioned his cowboy hat on the table before him when he turned up for his trial on Thursday. Slimani was found guilty of driving a Vauxhall Astra with 40 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath in Chase Way, Southgate, on December 13, when the legal limit is 35mg.
He was banned from driving for 12 months and fined. The court heard he has been heavily in debt and consequently faced county court proceedings.
During his testimony the defendant carried with him a book that he said he was penning at the time of the alleged offence, titled The Secret 19. Cancer Questions Worth Asking.
He said he drank Famous Grouse whisky between 1am and 7am and then Nyquil at 5.30pm – a cold and flu remedy similar to Night Nurse – before he was stopped at about 6.30pm that evening.
Slimani, of north London, told the court: “It was after a third bereavement of one of my dearest friends, which was just devastating.
“All young people in their 50s with terminal cancers that have passed on – non-smokers, non-drinkers, several cancers – and basically are not here, sadly.
“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 later informed the court he has abstained from alcohol since then.
The defendant claimed he had been consuming Nyquil for “a flu which you may call long Covid” that “kept coming and going” and has been documented on his social media channels.
He did not disclose to police when asked if he had taken other drugs or medicines, explaining this was “because when I got arrested, and they were taking me to the police station, my mind was literally going at 600,000mph”.
He added: “And when I got to the police station 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.”
This included his sobriety and charity work. He later expressed that his fears “sadly have all come true” and these were of “the press, the loss of my reputation, the loss of work – everything has happened, it has been a catastrophe”.
His solicitors informed a toxicologist that he consumed 810ml of Famous Grouse whisky and 30ml of an unspecified Nyquil product that contained alcohol, the court heard.
The toxicologist, Sarah Morley, calculated that the Nyquil would have contributed to 2mg per 100ml of alcohol on his breath.
Ms Morley also told the court: “I can’t verify if the information provided to me has been accurate or not”.
Arresting officer Pc Yuksel said he was observing Slimani chatting to a colleague about an unrelated issue when he spotted the defendant’s “quite vivid” facial expressions that were “almost joyful”.
Giving evidence, he said he detected alcohol on the former singer’s breath, adding: “He was very animated with his facial features, they were very vivid and his demeanour seemed a bit – I don’t know how best to describe it – but under the influence of alcohol.
“I asked him if he had consumed any alcohol, then his demeanour changed.”
The police officer said: “He appeared quite shocked and his demeanour just changed to very defensive, from very happy and expressive to very defensive when asked that question.”
The former X Factor contestant failed a breath test but was “calm and compliant” when he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving, he said.
He was then taken to a police station and breathalysed again.
Slimani was ordered to pay a £600 fine, £240 surcharge and £620 in costs by District Judge Mark Jabbitt.
He was offered a drink drivers’ rehabilitation scheme that if completed will reduce his qualification by a quarter.
The judge said: “It is inevitable that I will find the case proven.”
He added that he is “generally sympathetic” to Slimani’s bereavements but not to excessive drinking or taking medication without checking the effect it has on driving.