Scotland's largest police force will soon welcome a female recruit who used to be a male paratrooper.

Scotland's largest police force will soon welcome a female recruit who used to be a male paratrooper.

Jan Hamilton, previously Captain Ian Hamilton of the Parachute Regiment, has reportedly signed on with Strathclyde Police and will start her duties within weeks at Glasgow's Maryhill Police Station.

Ms Hamilton, now calling herself Abigail Austin, was born Ian Hamilton and was a captain in the Parachute Regiment before becoming the first British Army officer to undergo a sex-change operation in Thailand.

Ms Austin, who grew up in Stonehaven before joining the Army, and was recruited to the Paras in 2003, told a Sunday newspaper: "I'm attempting to make a new start."

The former soldier left the Army last year and won an undisclosed compensation payout for sexual discrimination after she was refused permission to wear a woman's uniform.

Her life was the subject of a documentary on Channel Four in March last year entitled Sex Change Soldier.

Assistant chief constable of Strathclyde Police Hamish Cormack said yesterday: "Strathclyde Police can not confirm or deny any personal information which would constitute a breach of Data Protection Laws. However, the force actively promotes employment opportunities to sections and encourages applications from all diverse communities."