A gifted young middle-class woman with a heroin habit was given a "substantially reduced" sentence by a judge for a string of deceptions stretching over three years.

Clare Tanner, 23, of Boars Hill, Oxford, pleaded guilty at Oxford Crown Court yesterday to 15 counts of obtaining property by deception, theft and receiving stolen goods.

Sue Davies, prosecuting, said Tanner, who has 11 aliases, had breached a probation order and had been given a conditional discharge for previous offences.

She said Tanner stole to fund her heroin habit by obtaining refunds using discarded receipts picked up outside shops including HMV in Cornmarket, Oxford, and shops in the Clarendon Centre, Oxford. She also used stolen cheques and credit cards to obtain cash.

Beresford Kennedy, defending, said that in 1998 Tanner was a bright student who had good A-levels and been given a place at Bristol University to study fine art. She wanted to work as an art therapist with disturbed children and had previously given a speech on plant therapy at Oxford Town Hall for her gold award as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

Shortly after she moved to Bristol she met Ashley Mortimer, a heroin user five years her senior who encouraged her to drop out of university, take heroin and steal to pay for it. Following a court appearance last year, Tanner severed links with Mr Mortimer and was sent to a drug rehabilitation clinic in the USA.

On her return she got work at a rugby club in Bedford but when she was sacked shortly before Christmas she contacted Mr Mortimer and started using heroin and stealing again.

She now wanted to study law at the Open University to help people in her position.

Judge Andrew McCooey jailed Tanner for 12 months.

He said: "I had in mind a very substantial period in prison. Because of the mitigation I have heard, I genuinely believe that you do intend to turn your life around."