A 21-year-old North Norfolk man has kicked drugs after the shock of waking up on Boxing Day not knowing how he had celebrated Christmas, a court has heard.

Just a month beforehand, Stan Clohisey had been caught driving in Hillington while under the influence of cannabis and cocaine breakdown products.

King's Lynn Magistrates' Court heard on Thursday, June 17 that Clohisey’s life went downhill from when he was 13 and his father was left paralysed from a motorcycle accident.

It led to a “profound” reaction from the teenager, leading to a change in character, misuse of drugs and alcohol and him being removed from mainstream education.

But the bench was told that Clohisey, of Norwich Road, Cromer, had turned his life round since last December.

Solicitor Ruth Johnson said: “There’s been a marked change in this young man and how he’s conducting himself.

“He had been misusing drugs for eight years and when you hear he’s only 21 that will no doubt cause you concern.

“When he was 13, his father had a horrendous accident which left him paralysed. Mr Clohisey has told me he didn’t deal with that at all well.

“And on Boxing Day last year he couldn’t actually remember what had happened on Christmas Day. It was a point in time when he knew that he couldn’t keep living like that and needed to make positive changes.”

Miss Johnson said her client had managed to get work at Greens Development in Lynn – which had supplied a glowing reference about his hardworking attitude – but the mandatory driving ban would make his commute too difficult for it to continue.

Clohisey, who pleaded guilty to two counts of drug-driving on November 23 last year, was banned for 12 months, fined £120 and ordered to pay £139 in costs and victim surcharge.