A DRUG dealer 'caught red-handed' selling heroin from her Hereford home has been given a chance by a judge.

Hayley Williams, of Grandstand Road, admitted possession of heroin with intent to supply when she appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Monday.

Chris Lester, prosecuting, said police stopped Duane Thomas riding his bike in Whitecross Road, Hereford, at around 3am on April 28 last year.

In his hands were rolled up bank notes - a £10 and £20.

When he left on his bike officers followed him to Williams's address in Grandstand Road, a property they believed to be 'linked to drugs'.

Mr Lester said: "Officers could hear some sort of conversation and going on and suspected there had been a drugs exchange."

The home was shared with Williams's mum and teenage son. In total officers found £130 in cash and 1.26g of heroin with a street value of £120.

They also seized two mobile phones, one of which contained evidence of the deal that had taken place that evening.

A tick list was found showing further evidence of dealing, including a 'running tally of deals' which listed heroin and crack cocaine at £20 per deal.

The sentencing guidelines showed a starting point of three years in prison with a range of between two and four and a half years.

Richard Davenport, defending, said Williams suffered from asthma and had been testing negative for opiates. He told the court she had been engaging with Addaction in Hereford, a service which offers information, advice and support for people with drug and alcohol issues, on a voluntary basis.

Williams had been addicted to heroin since the age of 22 when her father died and had the antecedence of someone under the influence of opiates who had committed offences to fund that addiction, Mr Davenport said.

Judge Cartwright noted that Williams had never served a custodial sentence and said that was 'quite some achievement' considering she had three convictions for driving while disqualified.

He added: "Just looking at your record, you have come very close.

"The police, due to good policing work, managed to effectively catch you red-handed dealing to a user at 3.30am from your home address.

"You had some cash and a highly incriminating tick list showing the extent of dealing of class A drugs that had been going on.

"Plainly you're doing this for money. The tick list shows as much."

He said aggravating features were that the dealing took place 'in the middle of the night' and that her mother and son were with her in the house while she was dealing.

Judge Cartwright said a report by Addaction 'was more flattering to you than it deserves to be' and said he suspected she had used health issues as an excuse in the courts on previous occasions.

He jailed her for 24 months but suspended that sentence for 24 months.

However, he told her she could not have complained if he had imposed a sentence of immediate custody, telling her she had been 'sailing close to the wind for a long time'.

"I'm prepared to give you a chance" he said.

Williams must also complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and the Thinking Skills Programme.

Judge Cartwright warned her that if she breached the order she would appear again before the crown court, not the magistrates court.