Ex-X Factor Star Chico Pleads Not Guilty to Drink-Drive Charge

Former X Factor contestant Chico, whose real name is Yousseph Slimani, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a drink-driving charge stemming from an incident in north London last month. The 54-year-old appeared at Willesden Magistrates Court, accused of driving a Vauxhall Astra with 40 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath on Chase Way in Southgate on December 13. The legal limit in England is 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres.

Prosecutors outlined that police stopped Slimani, a resident of Enfield, during the evening in question, leading to the breath test reading that exceeded the threshold by five microgrammes. The charge carries potential penalties including a driving ban, fines, and up to six months in prison if convicted, though the case's proximity to the limit has raised questions about prosecution thresholds.

Slimani's defense attorney, Sarah King, argued that the breathalyser result may have been influenced by medication the defendant had taken beforehand. "The defendant had consumed cough medicine prior to the procedure taking place, which can impact the accuracy of the reading," King told the court. She further contended that the police procedure was...