A young mother lured into drug trafficking because of pressure over family debts has failed to win a reduction in her two-year prison term.

Annabell Long, from Aston Tirrold, near Didcot, was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court in March after she admitted conspiring to supply drugs in August 1999.

Long, 28, who gave birth to her second son, Toby, last June while awaiting sentence for her part in supplying Ecstasy tablets, also has a five-year-old son, Ben.

Toby is now being cared for at the mother and baby unit in Stile Prison, Cheshire, where he will remain for the duration of her sentence.

The court heard that Long had accumulated massive debts during recent months, some stemming from her days at university.

It was only when she received a series of final demands from a debt collection agency that she at last agreed to look after packages containing cash and drugs.

Long's first payment was £750, which was seized by police when her car was stopped and searched by police soon afterwards.

Along with the cash, they found 298 Ecstasy tablets with a street value of £3,000.

Long's counsel, Robert Bryan, cited his client's good character and maternal responsibilities as strong mitigation in her case.

Mrs Justice Steel said the sentence had already been "substantially discounted", and it was "not manifestly excessive".