A Keighley mother who became involved in supplying Class A drugs for a third time has been jailed for two years.

Lisa Hanlon's latest offence - committed in April - meant she faced a seven-year jail term under the Government's "three strikes" legislation for drug suppliers.

But after hearing defence submissions, Judge James Spencer QC decided that Hanlon's guilty plea and the circumstances surrounding each of the three convictions allowed him to pass a lower sentence.

Bradford Crown Court heard on Wednesday that Hanlon, 31, of Albert Yard, had been arrested by police in the Church Street area of Keighley after she was seen approaching a known drug dealer.

Prosecutor Robert Blantern said that during a search at the police station, Hanlon was found to have a package containing 12 wraps of heroin - with an estimated total value of about £660 - hidden in her knickers.

Hanlon, who had previous convictions for supplying heroin and offering to supply the drug in July 1997 and November last year respectively, told police she had been given the wraps to pass on to someone else.

Her barrister Jon Oultram urged Judge Spencer to take account of the fact that her involvement with drug supplying was not motivated by profit.

Mr Oultram stressed that the previous sentences passed on Hanlon had been a suspended prison term and a curfew order, which he said reflected the unusual nature of the cases.

He said the latest offence occurred when Hanlon became desperate for methadone - a heroin substitute - after she was unable to get her authorised dose.

Mr Oultram said she was befriended by a man who gave her some of the drug.

He later phoned her and said she had to pass on wraps of heroin for him.

Passing sentence on Hanlon, Judge Spencer said she had "sufficient experience herself" to know that being involved in the supply of a 'Class A' drug was a serious offence.

He said she had been chosen by others to act as a courier because she was "desperate for a fix".

But Judge Spencer told her that was no excuse.

He said she knew that by acting as a courier for someone else she ran the risk of committing an offence which would result in a prison sentence.