A YORK heroin dealer who told undercover police: "We are open eight to late, if you call we will be there right away," has been jailed.

Hannah Kirby, 21, and her accomplice Caroline Brolly or "Cassa", turned up to four drug meets with officers, including one on the steps of York Magistrates Court, said Jennie Smith, prosecuting, at York Crown Court.

They did not know they were meeting undercover detectives on an operation to target dealers in Class A drugs.

During the second meet, Kirby handed out a phone number for "Hannah and Cassa", saying: "We are open eight to late, if you call we will be there straight away." The detectives then used the number twice to get heroin before arresting the pair in a dawn raid.

On January 16, the officers agreed to meet the pair at the courthouse.

As they approached they saw Kirby go inside to fetch Brolly. The two dealers led police to a nearby alleyway and Brolly produced an egg-shaped object from her trousers and sold them two wraps.

Kirby, of Bell Farm Avenue, off Huntington Road, York, pleaded guilty to four charges of supplying heroin and was jailed for three-and-a-half years, the same sentence that Brolly, 24, of the same address, received on March 19. Brolly also admitted four charges of supplying heroin.

Nicholas Barker, representing Kirby, said her client had a five-year-old child. She was younger and less experienced than Brolly, who had taken the leading role in the drug dealing. Kirby dealt to fund her own habit.

Judge Jim Spencer QC told her: "You and your addiction to heroin are going to have to part company if you are to stop ruining your life."

Updated: 09:34 Saturday, March 27, 2004