A mother-of-four has been jailed for three years after being caught taking drugs into a prison for a second time.

Amanda Charnley, 34, of Mercury Close, Borstal, was given a “merciful and lenient” suspended sentence when she first attempted to pass drugs to her inmate boyfriend.

But he again persuaded her to smuggle drugs into Elmley Prison, Sheppey.

Charnley was given the suspended sentence in November 2005, when another judge said imprisonment would mean her family would suffer.

During a prison visit, she was discovered with cocaine, heroin and cannabis.

Then on August 27 last year she hid heroin in her bra and transferred it to her mouth. But a prison officer persuaded her spit it out.

Judge Jeremy Carey said: “It is from a human point of view extremely sad that your 10-year-old son, who badly needs you love and care and attention, will not receive that for a period of time.

“You and you alone must take responsibility for that fact.”