A PREGNANT teenage drug addict faces the grim prospect of delivering her baby in prison.

Karen Niblett appeared in court yesterday, seven months' pregnant and charged with shoplifting offences.

Worcester Magistrates' Court heard how the 19-year-old crack cocaine and heroin addict might have passed her addiction on to her unborn child.

Judith Kenney, defending, described this as one of the most depressing cases she had come across.

"She's got a dreadful addiction, is distraught and desperate," she said.

"The position for Karen Niblett couldn't be worse.

"The punishment for this young woman will be giving birth to a child in custody, which will be simply dreadful."

Miss Kenney said that Niblett, of Hemmingway, Fairfield in Evesham, had become hooked on drugs because of a former boyfriend.

"She's absolutely desperate; to be taking heroine while seven month's pregnant and to be adding to it with crack cocaine is a recipe for disaster," she said.

Douglas Marshall, prosecuting, said that the first of the offences dated back to Friday, August 5, when the mum-to-be attempted to steal goods from a supermarket in Pershore.

On Friday, September 23, she went on to commit three more offences. At Pershore's Tesco Express, she stole food and cosmetics, worth £15.50.

Later that day, she stole cushions from the Cargo store in Evesham and attempted to steal cosmetics from Worcester's Superdrug.

On Friday, September 30, she stole a hairdryer from a pharmacy in Evesham, which she sold.

Niblett, who pleaded guilty to all of the offences, was also in breach of a conditional discharge and community order.

She was sentenced to 31 weeks in custody and ordered to pay £40 compensation.