Emmerdales James Moore pulled over by police and accused of drunk-driving after onlooker mistakes his disability

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EMMERDALE star James Moore was once accused of drunk-driving after an on-looker mistakenly believed he had been drinking.

The soap actor, 26, who suffers with ataxic cerebral palsy, took to Twitter to share the recent incident with followers.

James revealed an onlooker once mistook his disability for being drunk

James wrote: “So @AtaxiaUK are running a campaign called disordered not drunk, where disabled people recount their stories of mistakenly being labelled drunk. Tonight I seem to have a new one.

“I went for a meal with my girlfriend, and as I was walking back to my car, someone apparently unbeknownst to me, called the police. I was pulled over half an hour later and was told a concerned citizen rang claiming that I was DUI.”

The star was asked to take a breathalyser to ensure he was sober.

He continued: “I took a breathalyser, proving I was sober – but it really makes you think- there needs to be more awareness for this because disability can affect balance and motor skills. Its hard to tell sometimes. But maybe the easiest thing to do is ask.

The onlooker mistakenly labelled him as drunk and called the police

His character, Ryan Stocks, also suffers from cerebral palsy

The soap star was out with his girlfriend when he was asked to be breathalysed

“The police were fantastic- really understanding, and they let me go on my way very quickly, but it could have easily been avoided with a simple question.”

Ataxic cerebral palsy is a type of cerebral palsy that affects a person’s coordination, balance and depth perception.

His character, Ryan Stocks, also suffers with the same disability.

James later revealed he “wonders when it will happen again.”

James is best known for playing Ryan on the ITV soap

The star wonders whether it will happen again as he backs Ataxia UK’s campaign

In response to a message, he said: “However, now I cant help wonder when it will happen again. Because its happened before, and its just slightly disheartening to be under more scrutiny than an able bodied person because of my walking.”

He previously confessed that he didn’t believe he was going to make it as an actor.

In an exclusive interview with HOAR Online, the actor said: “A lot of it I think was my own personal struggle, my own mental struggle. I didnt believe that I could do it – but it wasn’t for lack of trying.”

He added: “But I got into the National Youth Theatre and found my agent and it was like a steamroller from that point.”

James made his Emmerdale debut in June 2018 when Charity Dingle discovered that the son she thought had died 27 years ago was actually alive.

He also starred in a 2016 film called Spaghetti Legsin which he played Jay, a young man with cerebral palsy.