Ex-model Sophia Nash, whose addiction nearly killed her, sought by police

Sophia Nash said a month ago that she'd been sober for six months. Photo / NZME.

Alcoholism fight hits speed bump as she fails to appear on charges including theft.

A former Auckland model who recently came clean about her high-profile battle with alcoholism is being sought by police.

Sophia Nash, 27, was a fixture on the city's party scene since she was discovered by modelling interests as a teenager but just months ago she came forward to tell the story of how her addiction nearly killed her.

She told NZME a month ago that she had been sober for six months and was devoted to her two daughters, aged 4 and 5.

But Nash's well-publicised rehabilitation appears to have hit a speed bump. She was scheduled to appear in the Auckland District Court yesterday morning on charges of theft, driving while disqualified and breaching a community-work order.

It is alleged that on February 24 Nash stole a $20 pink and yellow Christian Dior handbag from the Salvation Army store in Mt Eden.

The shop manager refused to comment on the incident.

Police say the defendant was then caught driving down Dominion Rd while disqualified; a charge she has faced at least twice before.

If Nash had appeared in court she would have also found out Probation had filed a charge over her allegedly breaching a court-ordered sentence of community work.

The absence of the St Marys Bay woman meant a warrant was issued for her arrest.

Nash was not available for comment yesterday.

Less than two years ago, the former gossip columnist nearly lost everything, she told Newstalk ZB's The Nutters Club. "Once I found out I was an alcoholic, I just went full on. It actually for some reason made me flare up even more.

"I think it was just the pain of understanding this was the end of the life that I knew ... I knew everything was going to change," Nash said.

"I had one Midori and Baileys shot and that sort of kicked me off. I'd had some benzos [benzodiazepines] that I'd been prescribed and I tripped over and hit my head on a rock."

While Nash was in hospital in an induced coma, a friend took a photo of her, put it on Facebook and warned others not to let her near any booze.

She said the shame and guilt of her addiction, which began as a 14-year-old, were too much to take and midway through last year decided to put down the bottle for good.

Nash told NZME it was a long journey to self-acceptance.

"The compassion came from just going: 'I don't have to be everything to everyone. I need to be looking after myself and those two beautiful children'," she said.

"And that means learning boundaries and that means saying no. I can't do everything all of the time."

Nash said finally opening up about her battle - which also saw her story picked up by overseas media - had been "cathartic".

The theft charge could see the mother of two locked up for three months while the driving allegations could attract a prison sentence of up to two years if she is found guilty.