The former partner of a Margate drugs dealer narrowly avoided following him to prison – after taking a picture of him as he sat in the dock of a crown court.

Mum-of-three Rebecca Towner was spotted taking the illegal snap from the public gallery at Canterbury Crown Court and stopped by security staff yesterday.

And minutes after ex-partner Jamie King, 35, of Grosvenor Place, was given a three and a half years – she was ordered to appear before the same judge.

The incident came just two months after a shopkeeper spent 11 days in prison for taking a ‘selfie’ in the court next door – regarded as a contempt of court.

But Ms Towner avoided any charges and instead received a dressing down from Judge James O’Mahony.

Holding the mobile phone with the image, the judge asked her: “Is this your phone?”

"The children think he's at work and I thought I would show the children" - Rebecca Towner

And when she replied “yes”, he added: “You took a picture of Jamie King. You know you are in danger of being dealt with in contempt of court. Do you understand why?”

She answered: “I do now, yes!”

Ms Towner added she was aware of notices throughout the court building warning that it was a breach of Section 41 of the 1925 Criminal Justice Act outlaws to take a photograph in court.

The judge asked: “Why did you take the photograph?”

She said: “If I am really honest. I saw Jamie and he looked so well. The children think he’s at work and I thought would show the children.

“I would say: ‘See daddy’s fine at work’. That’s honest.”

The judge said it would have been better to have taken a photograph “when he comes out and at a time which would be much happier circumstances".

She answered: “Absolutely!”

The judge said he would take no further action and warned her “not to let this happen again".

The mobile phone was then returned to her before security staff instructed her to delete the image before she left the building, saying she was heading to Margate.

Earlier King, who is already in prison for shoplifting offences, received a 42-month jail sentence after admitting four drugs charges.