A MOTORIST who was once hailed a hero for foiling an armed robbery has been banned from the road for drug-driving.

Dale Cairnie, 45, was caught driving under the influence of cannabis. At Carlisle's Rickergate Magistrates' Court, the former professional driver was fined £120 and given the minimum one-year ban for the offence.

Prosecutor John Moran told the court that police stopped Cairnie, of Raffles, Carlisle, as he drove his Vauxhall Zafira in Bannisdale Way, Morton, on Monday, March 8.

A blood test later confirmed that he had just over twice the legal of the breakdown product for the Class B drug in his system. He said he had smoked cannabis the previous night.

Defence lawyer Mark Shepherd told the court that the defendant smoked the 'occasional joint' to ease the stresses and strains of his life as a busy father-of-four. The inevitable driving ban he faced would have a 'significant effect' on his entire family, said Mr Shepherd.

The lawyer added that there was no evidence of poor driving or multiple drugs being used.

Magistrates told Cairnie that they would impose the minimum mandatory ban for the offence.

They also imposed a fine of £120, the figure calculated on the basis that the defendant would now have to depend financially on Universal Credit.

Cairnie must also pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.

In 2017, the defendant was hailed a hero for his actions when he worked as a delivery driver and his vehicle was targeted by armed robbers.

Cairnie was unloading loaves at Wigton's Co-op store at about 4am on June 8, when he was approached by two masked men carrying blades.

They tried to ambush him, demanding cigarettes, his phone and cash.

But Cairnie coolly refused the robbers' demands and fought them off using a metal bar he was carrying to move the loads. His actions earned him a High Sherriff's commendation, preseneted at Carlisle Crown Court.