Barbara Knox denies drinking driving: Coronation Street star pleads not guilty in court

The veteran soap actress refutes a charge of drink driving

Coronation Street actress Barbara Knox has denied drink driving.

She appeared at Macclesfield Magistrates Court in Cheshire today, after being charged with the offence earlier this month.

“She was physically manhandled in the police station,” said Knox’s lawyer, Nick Freeman. “It was agreed she was in a highly emotionally-charged state. She was described as tearful.”

The 80-year-old soap veteran was arrested at a police station after allegedly driving when over the alcohol limit. She had gone to the police station after her daughter, Maxine Ashcroft, had been charged with the same offence. The two had reportedly spent the afternoon together at a family event in Alderley Edge, Cheshire.

Ashcroft was later banned from driving for two years. Freeman – also known as Mr Loophole - said at the time of the incident that she had made a “terrible error of judgement” in what was a “classic case of alcohol anaesthetising good sense”.

Knox – who plays Rita Tanner in the television soap - was sent away on unconditional bail today after pleading not guilty. She will return to court on July 23 to stand trial.

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