She’s a good liar ...JK’s husband brands sacked PA over £23k spree
I’m fed up playing Michael Cane!
FILM legend Sir Michael Caine carried a walking cane as he stepped out on to The Jonathan Ross Show.
The 85-year-old actor, who broke his ankle back in February, had to be given a helping hand on to the set by the programme’s host.
Sir Michael, who spoke about finding success in later life, said of his injury: “It takes a long time to get better. I’m nearly there. I only have the stick when I go out.” As he recovered, he decided to put his time to good use and put pen to paper to write about his life.
He said he has realised his mistake in thinking 65 was the time to retire, explaining that the best success of his career was after he considered quitting because he was no longer offered the roles of the lover.
Sir Michael said: “I went AUTHOR JK Rowling’s husband described his wife’s former PA as a “good liar” amid claims she used a company credit card on spending sprees and took Harry Potter toys meant for dying children, a court heard yesterday.
Amanda Donaldson, 35, has been accused of wrongly benefiting to the tune of £23,696.
JK’s husband Dr Neil Murray said she was suspended and later dismissed over alleged unauthorised spending.
He said the sum included £3,629 in the cosmetics store Molton Brown, £2,139 in the stationery shop Paper Tiger and more than £1,800 in Starbucks and Costa.
An accountant had raised concerns over Donaldson’s spending between 2014 and 2017.
Dr Murray, 47, said: “I believe my wife sat down with Amanda and explained exactly what the business card was to be used for.
“In these statements there are dozens if not hundreds of entries where Amanda has used the card to purchase things for herself.
“There is the matter of principle here. I believe she has stolen a substantial amount of money and Harry Potter merchandise from the office which was to be given to sick and dying children.
Scatty
“She has consistently denied it throughout the whole disciplinary process which led to her dismissal and she continues to deny it.
“We have a duty to bring this to some sort of conclusion. If that was a small business, she could destroy that small business.”
He told Airdrie Sheriff Court the biggest concern was over alleged cash withdrawals of £400 and £250 in December 2016 that she claimed were for a Christmas lunch deposit.
Dr Murray also said he challenged Donaldson in “an astonishing encounter”, adding: “Amanda had always adopted a lively, slightly bubbly, a bit scatty, demeanour... but what I found was a completely different personality. She shut down, was calm and basically lied.”
Asked by his wife’s solicitor, Kathleen MacDonald, if there was any reason for the £3,629 spend, he replied: “Well, not for the office, it doesn’t make sense. I think the vast majority was purchased by Amanda for Amanda.”
He told of an occasion when she offered to buy pizza for Edinburgh-based staff on the credit card. She was alleged to have told an employee: “Don’t worry, Neil doesn’t check this card.”
Accountant Steven Simou told the court that a safe Donaldson had access to was missing more than £7,700 after she was suspended.
Donaldson, of Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, denies the claims and said Ms Rowling, 53, who is suing her, has “not suffered any loss and is not entitled to damages”.
The case before Sheriff Derek O’Carroll continues. on to win an Academy Award for The Cider House Rules and made six fabulous movies for Christopher Nolan. I had this whole fantastic life as an older man.
“I’m 85 and I’ve finished a movie in Czechoslovakia so that was part of the thing [of writing the book], to say, ‘If you’re going to retire, think about it because you may be making a mistake, like I did’.”
The Jonathan Ross Show is on Saturday, ITV, 10.10pm.