A 43-YEAR-OLD woman convicted of burglary has been sent to prison — three months after the judge let her walk free from court.

Drug addict Debbie Smith, 43, formerly of New Road in Brixham, had previously admitted stealing electrical goods worth more than £1,000 from a holiday chalet.

The judge at the time gave her a community order in the hope she would kick her habit and turn her life around.

However the same judge was told Smith had missed appointments with her probation supervisors and had not complied with the order.

Judge Philip Wassall said it was his 'public duty' to sentence her for the original crimes and Smith was sent to prison for 12 months.

Exeter Crown Court was told Smith was convicted in May of two counts of burglary, two of theft and one of attempted burglary.

In March Smith broke into an unoccupied holiday chalet and stole electrical items, including a laptop, worth £1,200.

Five days later she broke into a house and made an untidy search before stealing jewellery and other documents.

Prosecutor Sean Brunton said the occupier, who was out at the time, 'suffered considerably' with feelings of her house being invaded.

Smith also admitted two shoplifting offences in which she took clothes worth £700.

Judge Wassall was told Smith had not turned up for probation meetings on a number of occasions and the service thought it could do no more to help her.

Anne Bellchambers, mitigating, said Smith's problems were due to drug abuse and her chaotic lifestyle living close to dealers.

She said Smith was now living in Dartmouth and hoping to get her life back on track.

Referring to his original sentence Judge Wassall said: "I told you then you were in a dark place."

He added: "My assessment of the situation is the same as probation in that you are not in a place where you can make the order work.

"The risk of re-offending can't be managed in the community. The order is unworkable because your lifestyle is too chaotic and although I'm asked to show mercy, I can't."

He revoked the community order and replaced it with a 12-month prison sentence for the two burglaries.

Smith received 28 days concurrent for the two thefts and six months concurrent for the attempted burglary.

She was told she would serve half of that time inside.