A woman who tried to smuggle drugs and a mobile phone into Norwich prison hidden in a hair scrunchie was caught red-handed by a drug detection dog, a court heard.

Sarah Hodge, 32, was caught with the items after the sniffer dog indicated she had drugs on her when she arrived at the jail, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Chris Youell, prosecuting, said that she was taken aside and when searched was found to have cannabis with a street value of £150 and a small mobile phone and charger, which were all carefully hidden in the hair scrunchie,

Mr Youell said the drugs would be worth four or five times more inside the jail to other prisoners and the phone and charger would be worth between £1000 to £2000.

He said when Hodge's car was searched, a small amount of heroin worth about £20 which was for her own personal use was found.

Hodge, of Poll Close, Wymondham, who appeared via a video link from Peterborough jail, admitted possession of cannabis with intent to supply, conveying a mobile phone into jail and possession of heroin on June 20, this year.

Jailing her for nine months, Judge Andrew Shaw said it was now well-known that the drugs and mobile phones led to violence and intimidation in jails both of other prisoners and prison staff.

He said: 'It is a serious offence.'

Judge Shaw said that the offences had to marked by a term of imprisonment as a deterrent to others.

Lindsay Cox, for Hodge, said she had been a long-term user of drugs and had been put under pressure to take the drugs into jail.

'She has been a user of Class A drugs for about seven years.'

He said since on remand she had put her time to good use and had obtained certificates and got help with her drug addiction.

He said she had also been helping as a reading and writing mentor to other prisoners.

Mr Cox said that Hodge planned to make a fresh start and leave the area on her release because of her links in this area to people who were entrenched in the drugs scene.