A TEENAGER who posted heroin to inmates at a top security jail has been sentenced to three years' detention at Worcester Crown Court.

Tania McLean split open card with a razor blade, inserted the drug and glued the card back together.

The first drug batch was sent to her boyfriend who was a prisoner at Long Lartin jail, near Evesham.

But she also tried to supply two other inmates before prison staff - monitoring the scam and confiscating the post - alerted police, said Andrew Fisher, prosecuting.

McLean, aged 19, of Rowlands Court, Evesham, admitted three counts of heroin possession with intent to supply, possession of the drug and shoplifting. She also asked for attempted deception and theft to be taken into consideration.

Jail staff intercepted McLean's first letter on February 15 last year. She gave bogus details of the sender.

Monitored phone calls between the defendant and her boyfriend revealed his coded instructions to "send two specials", said Mr Fisher.

On June 21 a package containing heroin was posted to another prisoner and a third followed on July 2. It contained two amounts of heroin inside the card's membrane.

Police raided McLean's home and seized a wrap of heroin, glue and razor blades from her kitchen. The heroin was from the same batch as the posted drugs.

Mr Fisher said the smuggled heroin weighed 0.4 grammes and had a street value of £40. But inside jail it would have been worth more to prisoners.

Christopher O'Gorman, defending, said McLean had a two-year-old son who would suffer because his mother was being sent to custody. But she had taken steps for his care.

McLean had suffered health problems and had undergone treatment for depression.

Mr O'Gorman said she had ended her relationship and was determined to set out on her own and lead a lawful life when she was released.

Judge David Matthews said it was a carefully planned and executed scheme.

"Everyone knows that the prison authorities are trying very hard to tackle the scourge of drugs inside their establishments," he added. "Interference of this kind is regarded by the courts as a serious matter."