A WOMAN caught attempting to pass on drugs to an inmate at a young offenders' institution (YOI) told police she had just "drawn the short straw".

But it emerged that Michelle Wray did not even know the young prisoner she was visting at Deerbolt YOI, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, and was only attempting to pass on the heroin substitute buprenorphine to repay a loan shark.

She is today behind bars herself after admitting attempting to pass on the package containing 24 tablets of the class C drug during the visit, on February 22.

Durham Crown Court heard that Wray, one of three women visting the young inmate, passed an initial search but then aroused suspicion by the way she was behaving while being observed on cctv covering the visit area.

Stephen Duffield, prosecuting, said she was approached and found to have the small clear bag containing the pills in her hand.

"When interviewed she said it was only arranged for her to go on the visit that morning as someone else had dropped out.

"What she asserted was that there was a discussion between them as to who would carry the drugs and, as she put it, she 'drew the short straw'.

"She claimed not to know what sort of drugs they were, but hoped they weren't either heroin or cocaine."

Mr Duffield said her criminal record is mainly for shoplifting, although she has a previous conviction for heroin possession.

Jim Withyman, mitigating, said the shoplifting offences were mainly committed to support a previous drug habit.

But he said she has been "drug free" for several years and only agreed to carry the drugs into Deebolt as a means of repaying a loan taken out when she was without benefits shortly before Christmas.

"It was arranged by the man who had given her the loan.

"She didn't even know the man she was to take these drugs to, but felt she was in a difficult position," added Mr Withyman.

Wray, 32, of Sheriff Street, Hartlepool, admitted possession of a class C drug with intent to supply and taking a prohibited item into a custodial setting.

Recorder Martin Bethel told her: "Unfortunately it's a prevalent offence, causing problems to prison administration.

"It's almost always committed by women and it's frequently the case that some form of duress is in the background.

"The courts have repeatedly said they have to pass custodial sentences as a deterrent to others considering committing this offence."

He imposed a six month prison sentence and ordered destruction of the seized drugs.