A woman who tried to smuggle cannabis to her husband in Lewes prison narrowly avoided being jailed herself.

Mandy Lyons, 43, was spotted sneaking resin out of her bra.

A warder spotted her conceal the drug under a bag of sweets and intervened before she could pass it over.

Graham Crosthwaite, prosecuting, told Lewes Crown Court: "At 2.30pm on August 12 last year the defendant went to visit her husband at Lewes prison.

"She was subsequently shown to the visitor hall where a prison officer observed her removing something from her bra.

"She kept it in her left hand and later placed a bag of sweets on top of it."

The officer found a package of cannabis resin. Lyons was taken to Eastbourne police station where officers found another wrap of cannabis resin in her bag.

The court heard the cannabis she attempted to hand to her husband weighed 4.16g and the wrap in her bag weighed 2.42g.

Lyons, of Castle Hill Road, Hastings, admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply and possessing the drug.

James Mason, defending, referred the court to a pre-sentence report that had been prepared on Lyons, the details of which were not revealed in court.

Recorder David Howker said: "Smuggling drugs into prison is a serious problem for the authorities and those who engage in such smuggling activities usually go to prison themselves.

"You could not complain if I passed a sentence of imprisonment on you today but in this particular case it is not necessary."

He ordered her to carry out 100 hours' community service for the charge of possession with intent to supply and fined her £50 for the possession offence.