Defiant Lindsay Lohan makes her return to the spotlight just hours before she hears she WILL be charged with theft

Lindsay Lohan put on a brave face last night as she made a long-awaited return to the spotlight at a high-profile dinner party.

But just hours later her troubles sank to a new low as it emerged she is to be charged with theft.

The 24-year-old's lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, was informed of the impending charge yesterday and talked to Lindsay on the phone last night, TMZ.com reports

The charges, which relate to a $2,500 necklace, are likely to be made on Monday, and if convicted, Lindsay faces a maximum three years in prison.

She has so-far denied allegations that she stole the piece from Venice Beach jewellery store Kamofie & Co.
Earlier yesterday evening Lindsay looked in good spirits as she attended the party thrown by designer Giuseppe Zanotti.

The star ensured she was impeccably styled and groomed for her first outing at a Hollywood event since leaving the Betty Ford rehabilitation facility last month.

The ongoing scandal looked like the furthest thing from the Mean Girls star's mind as she posed for pictures and rubbed shoulders with Zanotti and fellow troublemaker Kanye West at the party in West Hollywood .

Wearing a black strapless dress with a bow belt, strappy black heels and her blonde hair perfectly curled, Lindsay appeared confident and carefree.

It was in stark contrast to her agitated expression the day before, after paying a visit to her probation officer, who would surely have grilled the starlet on her latest controversy.

Lindsay visited the Santa Monica courthouse for the meeting, at what can only be described as extremely bad timing.