COUNTERFEIT currency was used to buy inexpensive items in a mini-spending spree at a town centre, a court heard.

But the alert over the circulation of fake Scottish £20 notes was soon raised among the network of traders at Castle Dene Shopping Centre, Peterlee, County Durham.

It led to Paraminder Kaur Dhinsa being caught trying to pass a £20 note for £1.69 worth of goods at Farm Foods, on November 6, 2004.

Centre security guards and police were informed and she was arrested at the store.

Her brother, Toni Singh, who bought £1.49 worth of goods at Boots with a fake £20 note that afternoon, was later arrested at an address in Peterlee.

Robert Adams, prosecuting, told Durham Crown Court that Dhinsa unsuccessfully tried to pass a £20 note for £2.35 worth of goods at Savers.

But she went on to buy items for £1, at Poundzone, and £1.50, at Ethel Austin, receiving the rest in change.

When interviewed, Dhinsa admitted using some £20 Bank of Scotland notes, which she said her son received in part payment for a car the previous week.

She told police at the time that she had no idea the notes were counterfeit.

But when the allegations were put to her at court, she admitted two counts of passing and two of attempting to pass counterfeit currency.

Singh admitted one charge of passing counterfeit currency.

Jamie Adams, for Singh, told the court that he and his sister were of previous good character and there was "no sinister aspect" to the offences.

"It's not a case where there's any hint they have manufactured notes or even been close to the source," he said.

He added that Singh plans to open a branch of a takeaway sandwich shop next month.

Dhinsa, 45, of Brougham Court, Peterlee, and her 43-year-old brother, of Elsma Road, Quinton, in Birmingham, were both given six-month prison sentences suspended for two years.

Judge Peter Armstrong told them: "I accept you came into possession of these without any great sinister motive, however suspicious one may be about that."

He ordered Dhinsa to pay £40 and Singh £20 to the shops which accepted the notes, while both must pay £300 costs.