A WOMAN who was pressurised by her son to take drugs into jail for him has been told to stay out of trouble for the next six months in order to avoid an immediate prison sentence.

Michelle Ferguson tucked a quantity of diazepam tablets wrapped in clingfilm into the hem of her vest when visiting her son Aaron in Stockton’s Holme House prison.

She was seen on CCTV cameras fidgeting and looking nervous and eventually owned up to having the class C drugs after being searched by staff.

The 46-year-old, of Boscombe Gardens, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, admitted taking a prohibited article into prison on September 15.

Her barrister Graeme Gaskin said she had been placed under a great deal of pressure by her son, who had since been moved to another prison.

He said: “She feels guilt towards her children and her son has manipulated that and coerced her into taking in the tablets for him.”

Mr Gaskin said Ferguson was extremely vulnerable and suffered from a multiple personality disorder.

He said: “She has been pestered for money in phone calls and drugs. She has no previous matters for drugs so it is completely out of character for her.”

Judge Stephen Ashurst, sitting at Teesside Crown Court, said: “People that go to prison to visit friends and relatives cannot fail to see warning notices plastered around saying that certain articles should not be brought in.

“These kind of things have a serious effect on discipline and can create enormous difficulties as well as generate more crime.”

The judge said the vast majority of people who smuggled drugs into prisons and were caught themselves ended up in jail.

But he said there were exceptional circumstances in Ferguson’s case. He said: “I agree that you are a vulnerable woman and have reservations whether prison is the right place for you.”

Judge Ashurst spoke about the dire state of Ferguson’s mental health and circumstances and said she should re-engage with a community psychiatric team.

He said he would defer sentence on her until October, adding: “If you have not offended in that time I will deal with you in a way that does not mean you going to prison straightaway.”

Ferguson replied: “Thank you judge”, as she left the court.