A former grammar school head girl who supplied drugs to undercover cops has escaped an immediate prison sentence.

Mother-of-three Kerry Donoghue, 33, was told she deserved to be trusted, despite the fact she had relapsed back to taking drugs while on a deferred sentence.

Donoghue first appeared before Recorder Ian Glen QC in September last year. At the time she was eight months pregnant and the judge decided to defer punishment for six months, saying he was giving her a chance to prove herself.

However, Maidstone Crown Court heard that in March she twice tested positive for drugs. She was said to be struggling at the time with a newborn baby, the break-up of her relationship and a relative's illness.

But Rec. Glen said this week her behaviour should be "forgiven and understood", and imposed a 51-week jail term suspended for two years.

Referring to the deferred sentence he remarked: "I wanted to give you and your unborn child a chance. These six months have been almost entirely successful.

"The question is whether your lapse at the last hurdle should be forgiven and understood, and I think in view of your addiction it should be...I am prepared to trust you to get yourself re-settled with your children."

Donoghue, of Church Street, Maidstone, had admitted four offences of supplying class A drugs and asked for a further two offences to be taken into consideration.

The one-time Maidstone Grammar School head girl also studied at Manchester University. However, the court heard her life descended into a spiral of drug-taking and she ended up supplying in a bid to pay off a debt to her dealer.

She was caught supplying heroin during a police operation between March and May last year.

As part of her suspended sentence Donoghue, who has previous convictions for possessing heroin, deception and shoplifting, is also subject to a six-month curfew between 10pm and 6am.