AN INMATE who plagued a prison officer with chilling letters after learning her home address has been jailed for three years for her hate campaign.

As well as using Emma Potter's details to send her terrifyingly graphic threats, Selby prisoner Antonia Cooper, 21, spread the classified information around Low Newton remand centre, County Durham.

Prosecutors let slip Mrs Potter's details when Cooper appeared in court for breaking the 26-year-old guard's nose.

Mrs Potter is now set to sue the Crown Prosecution Service, whose blunder meant she was forced to move away from her job and her home, and is still tormented by her ordeal.

Cooper had attacked Mrs Potter while serving a two-year sentence for arson and was sentenced to a further two months behind bars for the assault.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how on five separate occasions between July last year and March, she sent sinister letters, some sexually explicit, franked by the prison and on prison note paper.

One contained a threatened to cut Mrs Potter up and force her husband to watch, and another had a razor blade attached to it.

She also said she would torch Mrs Potter's home in Sunderland, knowing that Mrs Potter was aware of her conviction for arson.

Prosecutor Jane Waugh told the court: "On February 6, a letter contained a graphic drawing of a naked woman pinned to a wall, surrounded by a razor blade, axe, hammer, knife, petrol can, chainsaw and pitchfork.

"It said: I'm coming for you Emma, prepare for this, you bitch."

Another letter declared Mrs Potter "might be dead by Christmas".

The bombardment continued even after Cooper was released from the jail, but she was caught after a piece of writing paper containing Mrs Potter's address with a razor blade attached to it was found in her home.

Cooper, of Abbots Road, Selby, pleaded guilty to putting a person in fear of violence by harassment and making a threat to kill.

Judge Tim Hewitt, jailing Cooper for three years, said: "You did not hesitate to use the information which you gained to conduct a campaign of abuse, vilification, threats and intimidation against the unfortunate prison officer,

"It is clear her life has been somewhat turned upside down."

Judge Hewitt also made a restraining order against Cooper which prevents her contacting Mrs Potter for the rest of her life.

Mrs Potter did not wish to comment after the sentence, but her family confirmed that she was happy with the sentence and was considering legal action against the Crown Prosecution Service.

Updated: 11:45 Friday, June 27, 2003