TWO single mothers who each sought refuge in heroin and agreed to defraud the DSS each netting £600, have both been sent to prison.

Beverley Smith was jailed for 12 months, her co-defendant Michelle Kirkbright for nine months.

Smith, 26, a mother-of-two, of Belgrave Street, Brierfield, had admitted conspiracy to defraud, burglary, handling stolen goods and possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

Kirkbright, 33, also a mother-of-two, of Queensberry Road, Burnley, had admitted the conspiracy and burglary charges, at Burnley Crown Court.

Mr Raymond Wigglesworth, prosecuting, said police set up observations in Colne, outside the main post office. Kirkbright went in with two men and drove away in a N-registered car. Four benefit books were thrown from the vehicle and recovered by police.

About six or seven benefit books were used for several weeks over a three-month period. Smith and Kirkbright obtained £1,273 which was split 50/50. Smith admitted to police she signed false signatures on the books enabling Kirkbright to use them. Nine pieces of cannabis were found in a kitchen drawer during a search of Smith's home. She admitted she supplied her brother.

Mr Dennis Watson, for Smith, said after the drug taking father of her five-year-old daughter died in 1992, Smith began to associated again with the father of her elder child. He was also a drug addict and with a "chaotic" lifestyle, she met up with Kirkbright, who had a drug problem. With Smith's mother's worsening health, heroin was an escape - also from the demands of her children.

Mr Watson added: "She didn't think of the children when she was taking heroin. She knows she should have."

For Kirkbright, Mr Robert Crawford, said it was difficult to imagine anybody who had as many problems as she had to bear.

Kirkbright's father and mother had both died and she had nursed them both - on top of that she had now taken on the day-to-day care of her uncle who suffered spina bifida. She brought up two children on her own and sought refuge in heroin. Her partner was in prison.

Kirkbright had been on a methadone reduction programme and worked weekends as a cleaner.

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