A WOMAN claimed she was "out of her head" on drink and drugs when she carried out three burglaries in Redditch town centre.

Donna Barrett, aged 30, blatently entered houses through their front doors and took a variety of items before the occupants were alerted, Worcester Crown Court was told.

She also had a relative's dog with her and police arrested her as she stood outside a pub, said prosecutor Christopher Lester. All the stolen items were recovered.

Barrett, of Winyates Centre, Redditch, who pleaded guilty, was jailed for three years and four months. She will serve half less any time she has spent in custody on remand.

Mr Lester said that Barrett had several previous convictions for dwelling house burglary and this qualified her for the "three strike" sentence of three years jail.

Spencer Stephens, mitigating, said she had been examined by a psychiatrist but there was no evidence of mental illness. But she had suffered through trauma in the past and from depression.

When she was released in 2011 from her last prison sentence, she had obtained accommodation, came clean from drugs and obtained a job in a doctor's surgery. Unfortunately she lost this when her past came to light.

She had also been involved in an abusive relationship and had moved to live with her brother, who was a drug user. She had relapsed into using drugs and adopted a chaotic lifestyle. She had admitted that she was "out of her head" on drink and drugs on the day of offending in June.

Judge Michael Cullum pointed out that the latest offending happened only two days after being in court and given a conditional discharge for similar offences.

Although the burglaries had been in the daylight, they were impulsive and would have had considerable effect upon the victims.