Simon Barlow (Alex Bain) has received his sentencing in tonight’s (13th March) episode of Coronation Street.
The troubled youngster has had a devastating year so far, following his dad Peter’s (Chris Gascoyne) departure on Boxing Day.
Having spent the night partying, he missed the opportunity to wave him off and is now dealing the consequences of feeling abandoned.
Simon was more than happy to hit the bottle in the same way his old man once did on the regular, which caused concerns for adoptive mum Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson).
He seemingly didn’t know when to stop – taking swigs of vodka before heading into his job at Underworld or supping a can of lager over his breakfast.
When he admitted to boss (and step-mum) Carla Connor (Alison King) that he’d had one too many to drink and couldn’t drive the factory’s delivery van, she fired him on the spot and said he wouldn’t get special treatment despite their relationship.
To make matters worse, he then drowned his sorrows in the Rovers and after falling asleep in the bar, landlady Jenny Connor (Sally Ann Matthews) was forced to call in Leanne to drag him home.
Things went from bad to worse when he’d had one too many to drink but step-dad Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) forced him to drive Sam Blakeman (Jude Riordan) to a chess competition.
As Sam distracted him in the back of the car, Simon lost control of the wheel and the two fled the scene, leaving the broken car behind.
Convincing Leanne to lie for him after explaining the ordeal, Nick found out the truth when Sam was admitted to hospital with concussion.
Ever since, Nick has resented his presence in their flat after putting his son in danger.
He’d planned to propose to his long term girlfriend, but after learning she’d kept shtum he wasn’t too keen – until she proposed to him and he was forced to say yes.
In tonight’s episode, the court date had arrived and Nick told Toyah Habeeb (Georgia Taylor) that Leanne had told him to stay clear of it.
Talking him round, she told him that he needed to focus on his family and that he was the closest Simon saw to a dad now that Peter had left.
Arriving at the hearing, the family were relieved to have each other’s company, and even more so when the judge passed a relatively light sentence.
With a six month driving ban and an 80 hour unpaid work order against him, Simon looked ahead to his future and decided to attend a self-help group at the Chariot Square Hotel with Leanne agreeing to drive him there.
Could this be the start of her being drawn into a worrying cult?
