EAST Ayrshire police have come under fire after a top Scottish lawyer blasted them for making an ‘inappropriate boast’ in a tweet about a shoplifter.

Glasgow University Rector Aamer Anwar hit out at cops for using the hashtag “OffToSeeTheSheriff” after they’d nicked a woman for apparent theft and drug possession.

It comes after a 33-year-old woman was arrested and charged by police at a shop while allegedly having class A, B and C drugs in her possession.

But Anwar was outraged after police tweeted about the incident and asked detectives to consider the woman’s personal circumstances.

He said: “An inappropriate boast about the locking up of a woman, whose circumstances we know nothing about.

“Addiction problems? Homeless? In out of prison? Mental health issues?

“Trapped in cycle of crime and drugs?”

Then East Ayrshire Police replied on Twitter to one punter who had called the post “flippant”.

They wrote: “The use of the hashtag was not intended to be disrespectful or minimise the content.”

But online users were quick to back Anwar for calling out the tweet for being ‘inappropriate’.

One wrote: “Really dislike this ‘jokey tweet’ language from Police Scotland.

“Unprofessional and dehumanising.

Ayrshire singer Eddi Reader was also critical of the post.

She wrote: “I also detected a bit of triumphant blowharding, language is vital and police must remain impartial at all times”.

But not everyone saw the fuss with others chipping in: “It’s still a crime though. No?”