A WOMAN, described as an excellent mother who had a "cataclysmic" downfall, dealt heroin while on bail for her part in a £1 million drugs ring.

Former paramedic Joanne Pugh, (pictured) already jailed in December for 18 months for her part in a seven-strong heroin ring led by Hassan Mohammed, was jailed for a further three months today after she admitted possessing the drug with intent to supply at home in Adeline Street, Pill, Newport.

Gwent Police searched the house on October 11 and seized 6.1 grams of heroin with a street value of least £260, said prosecutor Martin Kelly told Cardiff crown court. Earlier, several people had been seen going to and from the house.

During the search, police found the heroin in 12 individual wraps on top of a microwave oven in the kitchen. They was also a quantity of plastic film wrapping the drug. Judge David Wyn Morgan said mother-of-three Pugh, 31, had once been a hard working member of the community and an excellent mother.

But, the judge said, her downfall because of drugs had been "cataclysmic". Gwent's largest ever drugs supply crackdown, Operation Tacit 2, netted seven defendants - including "wheelwoman" Pugh - who admitted conspiracy to supply heroin. A total of £300,000 worth of the drug was seized.

They were jailed for a total of 40 years at Cardiff crown court by the same judge who sentenced Pugh today.

Six of the dealers lived within a mile of each other, dealing from what is known as Pill's 'Front Line'.

The ringleader was Mohammed - the former assistant manager of Newport's Megabowl. Pugh, who was the driver for the gang, told the police she had been a heroin addict. Leighton Hughes, defending, said the offence of possession with intent involved small scale supplying to existing users.

He added: "She had been a person of positive good character and was now drugs free and in prison she has been taking several vocational courses. She is capable of doing good."

The judge said she had been supplying Class A drugs at the bottom end of the scale but, he said, she must have realised it was one of the most dangerous and insidious of drugs. He said: "If I didn't pass a prison sentence I would be failing in my public duty. There was a serious breach of bail," he said.

He ordered that the three months run consecutively to the 18-month sentence.