A woman who helped Justice Secretary Kenny Macaskill front a community project for criminals was back in court on Friday to be sentenced for shoplifting.

Cheryl Ferguson, a former prostitute, posed with Mr Macaskill in June as the minister pledged to end the "vicious circle" of sending repeat offenders back to prison.

Ferguson described Cornton Vale, Scotland's only all-female jail, as a "holiday camp" as the minister launched a shake up of how female offenders are dealt with.

But just weeks later Ferguson was back in jail, despite being described as a model reformed offender who had beaten a £150-a-day heroin habit.

Ferguson appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court from custody last month and admitted stealing clothing from Tesco in the city's South Road. She further admitted being in possession of heroin at the store.

Ferguson was on bail at the time of the offence, which took place on July 15.

Ferguson, 28, of Landsdowne Court, Dundee, appeared for sentence on Friday but Sheriff Tom Hughes deferred sentence on her until October and released her from custody.

The Scottish Government had said schemes like the Dundee one help “stop re-offending in the long run”.

A spokesman for Dundee City Council, who run the womens project that Ferguson helped front, said the scheme does have a positive effect.