Sopranos star guilty of drink driving

Sopranos actor John Ventimiglia has pleaded guilty to drunk driving. As part of his punishment the star, who plays chef Artie Bucco on the hit show, must visit 30 high schools to warn pupils about the dangers of taking to the road after drinking alcohol.

He also had his driving licence suspended for 90 days, was fined 500 dollars (£274) and has signed up for Alcoholics Anonymous under a plea deal with the Brooklyn District Attorney.

Ventimiglia, 42, was stopped by police near his home in Brooklyn in the early hours of May 1. They said they saw him swerving and driving without headlights on.

When officers pulled him over in the early hours, he smelt of alcohol, was slurring his speech, had "red watery eyes" and an "unsteady gait", according to the criminal complaint.

Prosecutors said the star had been found to have a blood-alcohol content of 0.12%. The legal limit is 0.08%.

As part plea bargain, charges that the actor also was carrying a small plastic bag said by police to contain residue of cocaine were dropped.

In Brooklyn Criminal Court, Judge John Burke also ordered that the actor attend a course on the dangers of drinking and driving.

He is said to have been chosen for the schools programme because his celebrity status make the pupils listen to him.