South Wales Police searched Jemma O’Brien’s home on November 1 and seized a mobile phone.
O’Brien gave officers the PIN, and the device’s phone number matched a suspected drugs line the police were investigating.
A number of drug-related messages and bulk messages advertising cocaine for sale were found on the phone.
O’Brien, 40, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine between May 10 and November 1 last year.
She had initially denied the offence, and told police that a man had taken her SIM card and must have sent the messages.
However analysis of the messages showed O’Brien appeared to have been working for the man, the prosecution said.
She admitted the offence on the basis that she was only supplying drugs to friends and associates and this was to fund her own habit. She added that she shared the phone with another person and they had both used it to send drug-related messages.
This basis was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard O’Brien, of Church Road, had 10 previous convictions for 27 offences – including for possession with intent to supply Class C drugs.
Rose Glanville, in mitigation, said the defendant was not supplying drugs for profit, but instead to support her own habit.
She said O’Brien would be contacted by friends and would buy cocaine for them “on tick”. The defendant would then use the cocaine with them.
The court heard O’Brien had stayed out of trouble for around a decade, and was now a full-time carer for her partner.
Ms Glanville said the defendant “knows intimately” the harm drugs can cause, and said she had been working in custody to address her addiction.
Recorder David Harris sentenced O’Brien to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.
She must complete 150 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
