A 'PROLIFIC' shoplifter never jailed before has finally been locked up after a sheriff told her: "You have come to the end of the line."

Christina Morris — who has no fewer than three full pages of previous convictions — was sentenced to 120 days over the thefts of cosmetics and gift sets in the run-up to Christmas.

The 36-year-old thief's lawyer, Gerry Keenan, told Greenock Sheriff Court that she had been identified as a vulnerable adult whom others have taken advantage of.

But lawman Thomas Ward decided that a further community-based sentence was not appropriate.

Morris stole razor sets from Boots in Port Glasgow on December 15 last year and make-up from Superdrug in the Oak Mall just four days later.

The court heard how she has a 'lengthy record' for identical offences and is currently on a community payback order (CPO) for one of them.

Solicitor Mr Keenan said: "It is appreciated that there comes a point where non-custodial sentences run out.

"But should someone like Christina Morris, prolific shoplifter as she is, be incarcerated?"

In a plea for Morris to be placed on an electronic tagging order, Mr Keenan said: "Your Lordship could decide that her liberty should be curtailed and at the same time allow her to remain in the community and take advantage of the numerous agencies that are assisting her.

"It would not be regarded as lenient to curtail her liberty and allow the CPO to continue.

"She could be brought back at short intervals in order to monitor her progress."

Mr Keenan added: "She is identified as a vulnerable adult.

"The background report states that she has been exploited and money taken from her and she has to find the money somewhere and she does that through shoplifting.

"She had a long term partner who died last year and she is recovering from that.

"I would ask your Lordship to give her a chance to see if she can turn things around."

Sheriff Thomas Ward told Morris, of the Inverclyde Centre: "You have three pages of previous convictions and it seems to me that you have come to the end of the line.

"Perhaps I am doing do a favour by putting you somewhere where you can't get drugs."