A teenager who was caught with crack cocaine on a Great Yarmouth street was encouraged to take drugs by his mother, a court heard on Friday .The role of Leon Dunne's mother in encouraging drug use was described as the 18-year-old was sentenced for possessing 0.

A teenager who was caught with crack cocaine on a Great Yarmouth street was encouraged to take drugs by his mother, a court heard on Friday .

The role of Leon Dunne's mother in encouraging drug use was described as the 18-year-old was sentenced for possessing 0.2grammes of crack cocaine and two offensive weapons - a lock knife and a Stanley knife.

Dunne was ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work and placed on an 18 month community and supervision order after he had previously admitting possessing the class A drug and knives.

He now lives with a carer in Lowestoft following his troubled upbringing.

Prosecutor Benjamin Brighouse told Norwich Crown Court the illegal items were found when police spotted Dunne talking to a known drug user in York Road, Yarmouth in November.

Mr Brighouse said that Dunne told police was carrying the Stanley knife as self protection.

The court heard that as well as taking crack cocaine Dunne had used heroin in the past.

Simon Gladwell, in mitigation, said: “This is a young man who has had a very difficult background, including six years in and out of foster care.

“The main problem is the mother - she is a drug user and supplier. She encourages them(her children) in aspects of drugs.”

Mr Gladwell said that at the end of last year Dunne had been hospitalised for depression and that since Christmas he had been away from drugs as he was living with a supportive carer.

As Judge Simon Barham sentenced Dunne he told him that possessing knives was a serious offence and could easily have ended him up in prison.

Judge Barham said: “You have had a difficult background and upbringing and poor mental health recently.”