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Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Cage Warriors lightweight champion Chris Fishgold was today fined and banned from the roads for drug-driving.

Fishgold, 24, was more than three times over the legal limit for benzoylecgonine, a chemical by-product of cocaine, when he was pulled over by police during a routine stop.

The up-and-coming fighter, of Speke Road, Speke, was disqualified for 12 months and fined £250 after pleading guilty to one charge of drug-driving at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court today

(Image: LIVERPOOL ECHO)

The court heard Fishgold was arrested on Aigburth Road in Cressington on February 1.

Lionel Cope, prosecuting, said: “Shortly before midnight, on Aigburth Road in Liverpool, police officers stopped a white Mercedes. The officers spoke to Mr Fishgold and thought his manner suggested he was under the influence of drugs. When tested the blood sample was over the limit.”

Mr Cope said the sample detected 275 microgrammes of benzoylecgonine per litre of blood, while the legal limit is 50 microgrammes.

The court heard the fighter had no criminal record.

Keith Webster, defending, pointed out that the legal limits for drugs are not directly comparable with drink-driving limits – meaning Fishgold was not as heavily intoxicated as someone three times over the limit for driving with alcohol.

He said: “I should highlight the fact that, according to the prosecution case, there were no aggravating features to his driving.

“It was clearly a routine stop and there were no problems when the officers spoke to Mr Fishgold. The reading tells you everything.”

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Fishgold was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

The fighter was due to defend his title at the Cage Warriors 82 event at the Echo Arena last Saturday, co-headlining with Next Generation MMA team-mate Paddy ‘the Baddy’ Pimblett.

However Fishgold was withdrawn last month due to an “undisclosed injury.”

If he had beaten his scheduled opponent, Finnish grappler Jani Salmi, Fishgold would have made history as the first Cage Warriors champion with three straight title defences.

Fishgold captured the vacant lightweight belt, formerly held by Irish UFC superstar Conor McGregor, in July 2016 with a first-round submission of Adam Boussif at Cage Warriors 77.