A teenaged girl who was caught smuggling a miniature phone into a prison tried to pretend it was a nipple piercing.

Courtnie Jevans hid the tiny phone in her bra and came up with the bizarre explanation when it was found by a metal detecting wand.

Staff at Exeter Prison found she had the phone, which measured just two inches by half an inch, concealed inside clingfilm wrapping and a condom.

The Zanco phone is advertised as being the smallest in the world and is highly valued in jail because it can be hidden so easily.

She was trying to smuggle it into her boyfriend Jay Toulson, who was remanded in custody after carrying out a burglary in which he stole keys which he used to nick the owner’s car.

Jevans, aged 18, of Sunnybank, Newton Abbot, admitted taking a contraband article into a prison. She also admitted earlier offences of burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

She was jailed for a total of eight months, suspended for 18 months, with 100 hours unpaid community work and 15 days probation by Recorder Mr Martin Meeke, QC, at Exeter Crown Court.

He told her that smuggling a mobile phone into jail is a serious offence which normally attracts an immediate sentence, but that he was taking into account that she has already spent six weeks in custody on remand.

He said: ‘You were at the time and may still be Toulson’s girlfriend and I am proceeding on the basis he was a malign influence on you in the offending which brings you before the court today.’

Miss Felicity Payne, prosecuting, said Jevans was found in possession of the phone at Exeter Prison on April 10 this year.

 She said: ‘She was asked if she had any items on her and said no. A wand indicated something metallic near her right breast and she said it was a nipple piercing.

‘A parcel wrapped in cling film and a condom was removed and it was found to contain a small mobile phone.’

Mr Nicolas Gerasimidis, defending, said Jevans has no previous convictions and had been drawn into crime by the other two defendants, who both have lengthy records and were more criminally sophisticated than her.