A 43-YEAR-OLD Wotton-under-Edge woman became a small time heroin dealer after her state benefits were cut and she was struggling financially, a court heard.

Nicola Keyse, formerly of Turnpike Avenue, Wotton, suffered a drop in income as a result of changes which meant she was no longer entitled to income support, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

She fell into rent arrears, her relationship broke down and she lost her home, said defence solicitor Claire Malvern.

Keyse's partner left her with debts of £2,000 and she then succumbed to the temptation to supply heroin to acquaintances, she said.

Keyse pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with intent to supply on May 11 last year and was jailed for 16 months.

Prosecutor Julian Kesner said police went to her home with a search warrant and found 35 small wraps of heroin weighing on average 0.20 grams each. The total value was about £200.

Keyse had previous convictions for possessing heroin in 1999, he said.

Claire Malvern, defending, said: "She supplied to acquaintances. This was committed out of desperation financially on her part.

"She received a drug treatment and testing order in 1999 and this enabled her to break free from heroin use.

She took herself away from the area for a substantial time and avoided those who had influenced her previously.

"But things went awry for her last year when her benefits position changed and she was no longer entitled to income support but incapacity benefit instead.

"It meant she was not entitled to so much housing benefit. She was in private rented accommodation and she fell into rent arrears.

"Her relationship broke down and her partner left her with £2,000 debts and an eviction notice.

"She put herself down on the waiting list for a home but there was a gap of three years when she was effectively homeless.

She turned back to her old drug-taking acquaintances in the hope they would offer her accommodation, which they did. But it was unsuitable accommodation - living with people who used drugs.

"She was offered the opportunity to earn a few pounds by taking these packets and distributing them among drug using acquaintances of hers. She was apprehended before she could carry that out."

Just two weeks later, said Ms Malvern, Keyse was given accommodation in Nailsworth and she got her life back on track.

"She is now in a new relationship and her partner is here today. Her emotional well-being is fragile to say the least."

Ms Malvern urged the court to pass a suspended sentence.

But the judge, Recorder Richard Belben, said although he accepted jail would have a 'major disruptive effect' on Keyse's life there had to be an immediate jail term.