YORK policeman Arthur Swaine was today fined £75 for possessing cannabis after magistrates heard how he was given the joint by his mistress.

PC Swaine issued a public apology to his wife and family for the distress and embarrassment he had caused them as details of his affair with Justine Hepplewhite emerged at Harrogate Magistrates Court.

"He is totally ashamed," said his solicitor Sandra Keen.

The officer, a well-respected and pioneering licensing officer, who has previously won commendations, was also ordered to pay £110 prosecution costs by chairman of the bench, John Metcalfe, who said: "You are a role model, particularly for young people, and a person who frankly should have known better."

He said PC Swaine was a serving police officer in a position of respect and authority.

Today's case resulted from a raid on the policeman's home in January, during a police investigation into an armed robbery at a post office in the Yorkshire Dales last year.

The Evening Press reported earlier this year that no action was to be taken against him or against a woman who was also arrested, Justine Hepplewhite, in relation to the robbery.

The paper reported last month how Ms Hepplewhite was being referred to the drug referral scheme rather than being prosecuted for possession of cannabis.

Magistrates were told today that a single reefer had been found in a briefcase during a search of his property.

Mike Hammond, prosecuting, said that during interview by police, PC Swaine said he had been given the drug by Justine Hepplewhite, with whom he had been having an affair and with whom he had smoked the drug on previous occasions before going to bed.

He added that PC Swaine had said he had kept the cannabis with the intention of giving it to his wife, to see if it would assist with her arthritis.

The decision to prosecute PC Swaine had been taken after counsel's advice had been received, said Mr Hammond. Prosecution was felt appropriate because PC Swaine was a serving police officer whose duty was to enforce the law, and possession of cannabis was an offence.

Sandra Keen said it had been a "minuscule" amount of cannabis, probably with a street value of less than 50p.

She said that had PC Swaine not been a serving police officer, the likelihood was that he would have been taken on to the drug referral scheme for such a first-time offence.

The policeman, married for 14 years and with two young children, had never intended a friendship with Ms Hepplewhite to develop into an affair. She said PC Swaine had 26 years' service, with a Chief Constable's commendation and Divisional Commander's commendation, and as a licensing officer in York since 1988, had instigated a Door Safe scheme which was likely to be developed nationally and on which he had spoken to MPs on one occasion.

She said it was likely that the case would lead to disciplinary action with possible implications for his income and pension.

She said PC Swaine's wife, who was present in court today, suffered from arthritis for which she had recently undergone an operation to give her a new elbow.

She had suffered distress and embarrassment, but the solicitor added: "She stands by her husband."

North Yorkshire Assistant Chief Constable Peter Bagshaw this afternoon issued a statement saying: "There are disciplinary matters to be considered. The force will consider whether internal disciplinary action will follow, when we have full details of today's proceedings."