A FORMER serviceman from Carlisle who is adjusting to life as a civilian has been prosecuted for careless and drug driving.

Magistrates sitting at the city's Rickergate court heard that Karl Vincent Orford, 34, was caught after a collision with a bollard in Botchergate, Carlisle, on August 17 last year.

At the time, his daughter was in the car.

The drug driving offence came after a test revealed that the defendant had a cocaine derivative in his system - precisely four times the legal limit.

The court heard that at the time of the accident, Orford, from Yew Tree Court, Carlisle, was struggling to adjust to civilian life after he was discharged from one of the services on medical grounds.

He had also been training to be a teacher and had enrolled on a course. But he had lost that opportunity as a result of the prosecution.

Passing sentence, the presiding magistrate told Orford: "You have pleaded guilty to drug driving and careless driving.

"Both resulted out of the same incident."

Listing the aggravating factors, the magistrate added: "There was evidence of substandard driving on numerous occasions; we also found that you were carrying a passenger, and it occurred in a busy area where there were pedestrians. Had it not been for the bollard, you could have killed someone, including your daughter."

Magistrates imposed a four month community order, which will include a 7pm to 7am curfew.

This will be electronically tagged.

In addition, Orford was banned from driving for two years.

He must pay a victim surcharge of £85, and prosecution costs of the same amount.