British actor Brendan Coyle, 53, popularly known for his portrayal of character John Bates in period ITV drama "Downton Abbey," was banned from driving for four years after being caught under the influence of alcohol. The star, who is reported to be a recovering alcoholic, will enter rehab for a second time to try and address the issue.
Coyle, who appeared at Britain's King's Lynn Magistrates' Court, pleaded guilty to the charges of drink driving. The actor whose case was called up recently was stopped by Police on New Year's day, and found to be with alcohol levels thrice as much as the permitted legal limit, Daily Mail reported.
The actor of "The Rising" was stopped while returning after a month's alcohol rehabilitation treatment in Thailand. According to the publication, the star had taken to the bottle once he got on the 6,000-mile flight back to London.
Coyle was represented by attorney Stephen Dyble, who told the court his client had an alcohol problem and acknowledged the issue by spending December at a facility overseas to address the condition.
While Dyble admitted the actor's failure to make a recovery following his stay, he told the court Coyle will admit himself to a rehab clinic in Britain for an intensive treatment session.
Coyle who will report to a probation officer has turned down work for a few months in a bid to remain sober, the publication reported.
Coyle, who according to media reports is a recovering alcoholic for the past five years, has had a previous alcohol-related conviction in 2011. The British Court banned Coyle from driving for 50 months after he pleaded guilty.
In addition, the Court ordered Coyle to engage in 100 hours of volunteer community service and ordered to pay costs worth more than $100 and a surcharge of $87.
The TV actor on a previous occasion was asked to leave the "Downton Abbey" set when he struggled to deliver his lines after a night out of drinking, the Mirror reported.
An insider told the publication that Coyle did not seem his usual self and it meant postponing the filming of his scenes so that he could have time to recover.
Born in Northamptonshire, Coyle has starred in popular series including "Spotless" and "Starlings." In 2011 he was nominated for a Bafta award for his portrayal of character Bates in "Downton."
Listen to what Coyle has to say about his role in "Downton" below: