Author JK accuses aide of pinching £24,000

A Coatbridge woman who worked as a personal assistant to Harry Potter author JK Rowling has been accused of using £24,000 of the writer’s money to go on shopping sprees.

Ms Rowling claims Amanda Donaldson broke strict working rules by using her cash to snap up cosmetics and gifts.

Legal papers lodged at Airdrie Sheriff Court allege Ms Donaldson, 35, wrongly benefited to a value of £23,696.32 by spending on a business credit card and taking Harry Potter merchandise.

Ms Donaldson, who denies the claims, worked for the world-famous author between February 2014 and April 2017 before being sacked for gross misconduct.

Among the unauthorised payments Ms Donaldson is alleged to have made were £1482 spent at luxury candle company Jo Malone, £2139 in card shop Paper Tiger and £1636 at coffee giants Starbucks.

It is claimed Ms Donaldson had responsibility for funds and was provided with a credit card for buying items in connection with business and personal affairs only.

She had to submit statements and receipts once a month to the accountants and also had access to a safe containing foreign money.

But discrepancies were picked up in February last year on statements revealing a high volume of personal spending by Ms Donaldson.

She had a meeting with an accountant to discuss use of the card and was suspended.

Ms Rowling also claims Ms Donaldson, who controlled memorabilia requests from fans, used her position to steal a Harry Potter motorised Hogwarts Express worth £467.56, a Harry Potter wizard collection valued at £2231.76 and a Harry Potter Tales of Beedle The Bard set priced £395.

It is also alleged Ms Donaldson bought two cats worth £1200 and withdrew £400 in cash for a deposit for a restaurant lunch, but Ms Rowling’s husband Neil Murray later discovered no deposit had been paid.

The 53-year-old author also claims her former employee took £7742 worth of foreign money from a safe.

Ms Donaldson responded to the accusations by claiming Ms Rowling had“not suffered any loss and is not entitled to damages”from her.

A spokeswoman for Ms Rowling said:“I can confirm JK Rowling has taken legal action against her former personal assistant, Amanda Donaldson, following her dismissal for gross misconduct involving a substantial breach of trust.

“As the case is not yet concluded we are not able to comment further and there won’t be any comment from JK Rowling.”

The case will be heard before Sheriff Derek O’Carroll in court later this year.

Court bid JK Rowling