A woman who tried to smuggle a mobile phone into a maximum security Lanarkshire prison by stashing it inside a packet of Maltesers has been spared jail.
Samantha Jewell, 32, was caught by guards as she tried to enter HMP Shotts which holds some of the most notorious criminals in Scotland.
Another scan revealed she had hidden a Maltesers bag inside her bra and police were contacted.
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The Maltesers bag was opened and a Unihertz mobile phone and a number of SIM cards were found along with 76 tablets and one wrap of white powder.
The drugs were tested and found to be diazepam, anabolic steroids and pregabalin which is used to treat nerve pain, epilepsy and anxiety.
Jewell, of Greenock, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted trying to get the phone and SIM cards into HMP Shotts in June last year.
She also pled guilty to three separate charges of possessing class C drugs but claims she had them with intent to supply them 'to another or others' were deleted by prosecutors.
Sheriff Liam Murphy said the 'threshold' for custody had been passed but ordered Jewell to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and placed her under supervision for a year.
Depute fiscal Rosemary O'Neill said: "As witnesses were working in their roles as operations officers at HMP Shotts, they observed the now accused.
"As she was being processed, their attention was drawn to her when she walked through a metal detector which activated to signal there was a metal object on the accused.
"She was asked to stand aside and was given a search with a handheld metal detector and a metal object was located in the right bra cup of the accused and she was detained.
"A further search was carried out and within the right bra cup of the accused was a Maltesers packet which was seized.
"The packet of Maltesers was opened and a black Unihertz mobile phone and a quantity of SIM cards were found along with 49 white tablets, 27 yellow tablets and one wrap containing white powder.
"At this point she was told she was under arrest and handcuffed."
Darran Khorasani, defending, said: "She is aware of how serious a matter this is but I would ask the court takes the view that a community-based disposal is appropriate in this case."
Sheriff Murphy said: "The nature of this offence along with the location would often result in a custodial sentence being imposed.
"Although the custody threshold has been met, there is an alternative available to the court."
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