A DRUGS 'mule' mother who smuggled heroin and crack cocaine into prison for her bullied son is now in jail herself.

Dawn Day tried to sneak the class A drugs into HMP Hewell after receiving 'begging' phone calls from her son, believing him in danger from other inmates.

The 52-year-old of The Park, Stow-on-the-Wold had already admitted two counts of supplying a class A drug when she appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced.

The offences happened on March 23 last year at around 3.30pm. Day was recorded on the CCTV in the visitor's area and observed by security staff.

Christopher Lester, prosecuting, said Day was found with 400mg of crack cocaine and 94mg if heroin.

Mr Lester said though the crack cocaine only had a street value of £30 to £40 in prison the value was inflated to up to £200. The heroin would be worth £40 in jail.

Mr Lester argued that Day had a 'significant role' in the enterprise and judge Anthony Lowe said the 'prison context' was an aggravating feature.

Michael Aspinall, defending, said Day had effectively been forced as a mule to take the drugs into prison.

"She received numerous calls from a private number from her son begging her to bring in the drugs" he said. Mr Aspinall said her son told her his clothes had been destroyed and he had suffered a broken arm. "She was very frightened for her son and could often hear others asking her to consider helping him while he made these begging calls" he said.

He also said there had been an eight year gap in her offending between 2006 and 2014. Mr Aspinall said she suffered from anxiety and depression and looked after her father who suffered a stroke, performing the tasks he was unable to.

"He would be left alone without the care that she gives him" he said.

Judge Anthony Lowe said: "I'm satisfied that these drugs were supplied to the prison because you had a genuine concern for your son who you believed was in real danger - and he may well have been in real danger.

"I accept that you are genuinely sorry for what you have done and it's clear that the amounts of drugs involved in this case were a very low amount."

The judge was also persuaded by Mr Aspinall this was lesser rather than significant role.

He added: "I'm satisfied that you are not a bad person but anybody who supplies drugs under any circumstances to prison has to know that an immediate custodial sentence will almost invariably be imposed because there has to be a deterrent.

"A message has to go out that people who supply drugs to prison will go to prison." He jailed her for 10 months and added: "I'm afraid it's with a heavy heart that it has to be an immediate custodial sentence."