EX-MP ‘unable to quantify her expenses’
A former SNP MP accused of embezzling more than £25,000 from two pro-independence groups is not able to quantify some expenses with any degree of certainty, a court has heard.
Natalie Mcgarry, 40, said it now seems "naive" that she did not keep receipts for everything associated with one of the events she was involved in.
Mcgarry, who represented Glasgoweast,allegedlyembezzled £21,000 while treasurer for Women for Independence (WFI) between April 26 2013 and November 30 2015.
A second charge alleges she took £4,661 between April 9 2014 and August 10 2015 when she was treasurer, secretary and convenor of the Glasgow Regional Association (GRA) of the SNP.
Mcgarry, who is on trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court, denies both charges.
Defence agent, Allan Macleod, took Ms Mcgarry through her reconstruction of events she attended in 2014 which includes notes of the costs incurred.
In February 2014, she was involved in organising the filming of a Women for Independence video to tie in with international women's day in March, which featured 20 women including actress and comedian, Elaine C Smith.
Filming took place at the Pearce Institute in Glasgow and expenses for the day included room hire and catering, which consisted of drinks and snacks bought from local shops.
Mr Macleod said: "There were a lot of expenses that you have been unable to quantify with any degree of certainty."
Ms Mcgarry replied: "Yes, it seems naive now to say, but it didn't seem like something we would be keeping receipts for, it was local shops and making sure women who had travelled
from all over the country were taken care of."
The court also heard that she attended a Yes in the Park event at Strathclyde Park in Lanarkshire in June 2014, for which she and other activists
had to buy a gazebo and procure a helium tank and balloons, while face-painting was to be on offer.
Ms Mcgarry said: "In a previous life, I was an entertainer at Mcdonald's so I had said
I can do face-painting. I don't remember how I got that helium tank to Strathclyde Park."
The trial, before Sheriff Tom Hughes, continues.