POLICE discovered an uncapped syringe in a hat while carrying out a search on a shoplifter.

Maria Gardiner, 40, appeared in the dock for sentencing at Glasgow Sheriff Court after admitting she failed to tell two police officers that she had the syringe in her hat when they carried out the search at Debenhams on Argyle Street on December 9, last year.

Gardiner, of Westmuir Street, Parkhead, was charged with putting the officers at risk of injury.

The search on Gardiner came about after loss prevention officers at the store discovered she had stolen £306 worth of fragrances, which she also plead guilty to.

Gardiner avoided prison. The court heard she was at the early stages of a pregnancy.

Her defence agent told the court she was taking steps to address her dependency on methadone.

Sheriff Kelly imposed a supervision order of 12 months.