It’s been three months since she crashed and overturned her Range Rover in what she has admitted was a near-fatal incident.
And next week, Katie Price will discover her fate in court after admitting to charges of driving under the influence, while banned, and without insurance.
Despite throwing herself back into work after enjoying a loved-up trip to Las Vegas with boyfriend Carl Woods, 33, sources say Katie is now afraid she could spend Christmas in prison.
And her fears have grown since comedian Alan Carr’s husband, Paul Drayton, was told to prepare himself for jail last month after a similar incident. He was warned of the “overwhelming likelihood” of a prison sentence when he appeared in court last week after crashing into a police car while more than four times over the limit on the same stretch of road in Sussex where Katie, 43, crashed.
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A source says, “For the first time in her life, Katie is really scared. Paul has no previous offences and Katie has been banned from driving and for drink-driving. She knows it’s looking bad for her. The thought of spending Christmas in prison away from her children suddenly seems real.
“Carl and Katie love bingeing on crime documentaries – she’s seen all the Piers Morgan ones about women in prison – and she is now terrified about how it could be for her.
“Carl is reassuring her and has told her he would visit her every week. He went to see her whenever he could when she was in The Priory, but of course if she is in prison she will feel very alone.”
The crash came just weeks after a 32-year-old man was arrested for allegedly assaulting Katie at her home. The investigation is currently ongoing.
After the road incident in September, Katie was ordered to spend four weeks at mental health facility The Priory for drink and drug use – her third rehab stint in two years and a year after receiving treatment at the same clinic for “severe trauma rehabilitation”.
Check out: Katie Price’s showbiz feuds - from Victoria Beckham to Chris Hughes
From Kavana to Victoria Beckham: Katie Priceu2019s showbiz feuds - Closer (slider)
1 of 11Katie Price showbiz feud
2 of 11Katie Price VS Victoria Beckham
This is one of our favourites. Picture the scene: Victoria Beckham (then Queen WAG, not top fashion designer), at Manchester United, surrounded by a group of Gucci-clad wives and girlfriends – singing Who Let The Dogs Out as Katie Price walked through the lounge.Speaking on her Fubar radio show in 2014, Katie explained: "All it is is that years ago she sang the song in the Manchester United lounge and there's where it started from. "And in a nightclub David held my hand behind her back, it was in my book. It was years ago."She has since thrown shade at Posh Spice's son Cruz Beckham.
3 of 11Katie Price VS Kerry Katona
After meeting in the I'm a Celebrity jungle in 2004, Katie and Kerry quickly became besties – and Kezza was even bridesmaid at Kate's wedding to Peter Andre.But they fell out in 2007, when Katie publicly disapproved of Kerry's relationship with Mark Croft, labelling her 'a druggie' and him a 'bully'.But they made up in 2014, and Kerry even asked Katie to be a bridesmaid at her wedding to George Kay.
4 of 11Katie Price VS Kelly Brook
Katie briefly dated Kelly's ex-boyfriend Danny Cipriani, but ended things when she caught him in bed with another woman.But model Kelly was NOT impressed when Katie sold the story in 2013. She tweeted: :@MissKatiePrice Your [sic] doing a kiss&tell on Danny?? Haha that's hilarious. You dated for 5mins and was one of many at the time. Desperate."They've never resolved things, and fell out again in 2014 when Katie branded Kelly a 'heifer'.
5 of 11Katie Price VS Katie Hopkins
Before coming face-to-face in the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2015, motormouth Hopkins angered the Pricey by slamming her youngest daughter's name.Referencing Pricey's husband Kieran's affairs, she tweeted: "BUNNY? Makes sense, given your dad was going at it like a rabbit will all of mum's mates."They did not resolve things in the house, and shortly after winning the show Pricey said: "She's a disgusting human being. She really is."
6 of 11Katie Price VS Peaches Geldof
In November 2012, Katie commented negatively on a photo of the late Peaches Geldof's son Astala, then six-months, playing with their dog Parper.Writing in her column for The Sun, Katie said: "An animal is an animal and that means she they can turn on you at any point. All new mums should also remember that dogs can easily get jealous of new babies."But Peaches hit back. She tweeted: "Funny that Katie Price aka 'Jordan' lol thinks that I shouldn't allow my gentle, sweet golden retriever dog near his best friend, my son. Could say the same thing to her about letting some of the multitude of 'boyfriends' she has near her kids [sic]."
7 of 11Katie Price VS Havana
Poor Katie. She went into the Celebrity Big Brother house to make friends – and it looked like she did. She and 90s pop star Kavana teamed up for his new music video following their exit, but he later made the mistake of talking about her in an interview.Discussing the budding pop star, Kav told The Sun: "We've decided to to a duet. I mean, God bless her, she can't really sing, can she? But I've said to her that I'll get her in the studio and make it sound good."Unsurprisingly, Katie was NOT impressed with his catty comments. She said: "I did a favour for @kavana_official by appearing in his music video as a favour when he asked by NEVER discussed going a duet with his and this is something that will NEVER happen as infact I'm in the studio recording my own tracks solo [sic]."
8 of 11Katie Price VS Kimberley Crew
When Katie sent a cryptic tweet on Joe Hart and Kimberly Crew's wedding day in July, it was assumed she was suggesting she and Joe had history.Katie teased: "All Harts go out to the married couple is he going to tell her the truth about us? [sic]."Joe and Kimberly have never publicly commented on the rumours, but a source told The Sun at the time: "Kim couldn't care less. She thinks Katie is a clueless bimbo. "She has no concerns about Joe's loyalty and told friends, 'In her dreams! She probably wishes she could get her hands on him!'"
9 of 11Katie Price VS Alicia Douvall
Katie came up against another former frenemy in the CBB house in 2015: Alicia Douvall. Although the two former glamour girls appeared to make up during their time on the show, Alicia hit out after being the first evicted.She told Star magazine: "[Katie] was looking at my body and making comments. There was a twitch of jealousy. Katie is a very clever girl and it was a strategic move to save Katie H [from nomination]."It was revealed in the house that Katie and Alicia both dated Dwight Yorke, the father of Katie's eldest son Harvey.But Alicia added: "It wasn't only Dwight. There are other exes we've shared. We were direct rivals when we were both modelling. She once tried to beat me up in a night club when she was pregnant!"
10 of 11Katie Price VS Jodie Marsh
Probably Katie's most infamous feud – she and Jodie Marsh have never hidden their feelings about each other.When Jodie first emerged on the glamour modelling scene Katie accused her of 'copying her'.In 2015, over a decade after their feud originally erupted, Jodie angered Katie again by insisting she's 'the one who's famous for having loads of kids with different dads'.Katie took to Twitter to hit back, writing: "Don't knock mothers like me, there's lots of us. Didn't you go out with my exes names written all over your body, marking them out of ten after you shagged them (classy)? Well, you've shagged nearly all my leftovers and not one of them wanted you (gutted)."
11 of 11Katie Price VS Chris Hughes
We will NEVER forget Katie Price and Love Island star Chris Hughes' 2017 drama. It all began after Katie denied sending Chris any flirty messages after he said he was ignoring her.Things took a turn for the worse when Chris posted text messages she had sent him but it wasn't long before she hinted she has over 50 screenshots of private messages he sent her.Just when we thought things couldn't get any more juicier The Sun then verified that Chris HAD sent the mum-of-five private messages (even though he originally denied ever doing so). Pricey then went one step further and flashed one of those secret messages.Eek!
Katie's family issued a statement on her Instagram page, revealing they’d been worried “for some time” about her mental wellbeing and shared that their “worst fears almost came true”.
But just days after she left rehab, Katie and Carl jetted off to Las Vegas, where they took selfies of themselves lounging at the hotel pool and teased that they had wed at The Chapel. The trip sparked anger from social media users, who questioned why she and Carl were living it up so publically in Vegas rather than putting Katie's health and the feelings of her children – Harvey, 19, Junior, 16, Princess, 14, Jett, eight, and Bunny, seven – first.
One wrote, “Why is she jetting off to Vegas? Shouldnt she be focusing on herself?” Another fumed, “She could have killed someone and this is how she is behaving? I used to be a fan but no more. Unfollow.”
Her car crash has also impacted her work. The launch of her baby range with her sister Sophie has been postponed and, despite being nominated at the NTAs in September for her documentary What Harvey Did Next, the BBC axed its follow-up “indefinitely” following the crash and backlash.
The source adds, “At first, she just wanted to escape it all and didn’t really think she’d be going to jail, but now it’s becoming a frightening reality – and she feels there’s no way out other than going to prison. Although she is fearful of spending Christmas behind bars, she is also petrified of the backlash if she walks free.
“She knows that could be the end for her as the public will be furious if she doesn’t face the consequences of her actions. If she does the time, shows remorse, then comes out and transforms herself, she may have a chance to save herself. She worries that there’s no easy way out.”
Since returning from Vegas and witnessing the backlash she received for it, Katie has been flooding her social media with upbeat messages and family photos in what the source says is a bid to repair her image.
Last week, she relaunched her KP equestrian range, and the source says, “It’s a tactical move, as she’s always thought that being associated with an upper-crust sport could help give her a ‘classier image’.
“She has also been posting pictures of her kids to remind her fans that she is a doting mum. She’s hoping that, as soon as this is over, she can concentrate on building a more wholesome brand as a mummy influencer and with new books about parenting or beauty, rather than just autobiographies.”
Last week, Katie went to visit her eldest son, Harvey – whose father is ex-professional footballer Dwight Yorke – at his residential college in Cheltenham for a special festive trip.
“Starting to look a lot like Christmas,” she wrote alongside a snap of Harvey in the snow.
And the source adds, “What fans couldn’t see is that she took all of his presents with her as she wanted to have a mini Christmas with Harvey. She’s terrified she won’t be able to see him on the big day this year – she just doesn’t know what will happen, so she wanted to make sure Harvey had some kind of Christmas day with her.
“She’s also doing her present shopping for her other kids and family members earlier this year, should she not see them on the day. She’s beside herself.”
Legal expert: ‘It’s very likely she’ll be made an example of’
Solicitor Hannah Costley, of Slater Heelis law firm, says, “Katie broke the law by driving under the influence, but it’s worse as she was disqualified at the time – and on her sixth ban. People are regularly sent to jail for breaking driving bans as it’s a violation of a court order.
“But there are many factors in this case. Her personal circumstances will be taken into account – she is a carer for her disabled son Harvey and her mother is terminally ill. She was also allegedly assaulted earlier this year and has faced financial difficulties, which could have put a strain on her mental health.
“The court will look at how she’s acted since the arrest and will want to see she’s taken her rehab seriously, but her recent holiday to Las Vegas won’t do her any favours – unless there was a good reason for her trip.
“She could receive a high-level community order, a suspended sentence, or about three months’ jail time. The sentencing will be a delicate dance between the severity of the crime and her personal circumstances, but as this case will be under public scrutiny, I think it’s very likely she’ll be made an example of and given a significant sentence.”
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Emma Kenny: ‘It’s sad – but jail could be the best thing for her’
Closer’s psychological therapist, Emma Kenny, says, “It’s clear Katie has struggled with mental health and substance-abuse issues, and I think she really hit rock-bottom with the car crash. It could have been a wake-up call, but heading to Vegas rather than focusing on her recovery would suggest it may not have been.
“Sometimes, severe consequences are the only way we truly acknowledge and take responsibility for our actions. A severe consequence like prison – as horrible as it’s likely to be – may be the wake-up call Katie needs to realise she really does have to change.
“It’s sad, but it may be the best thing to happen to her. It could be the catalyst to make her face up to the issues she needs to address and changes she needs to make. I believe it would encourage her to shift gears and change, once and for all.”