McGarry’s dad gave her ‘up to £20,000’

THE dad of former MP Natalie McGarry told a jury that he gave his daughter between £15,000-£20,000.

Brian McGarry, 70, stated that he paid her during her time she volunteered for Women for Independence and Yes Scotland for a three-year period up until she was elected in 2015.

Mr McGarry told a jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday that he was “happy” to make the payments as his daughter committed herself to a cause that he believed in.

McGarry, 40, who represented Glasgow East for the SNP, allegedly stole more than £25,000 from two organisations advocating for Scottish independence between April 2013 and August 2015.

McGarry is said to have embezzled £21,000 while treasurer for Women for Independence (WFI) between April 26, 2013, and November 30, 2015.

A second charge states McGarry took £4661 between April 9, 2014, and August 10, 2015, when she was treasurer, secretary and convenor of Glasgow Regional Association (GRA) of the SNP.

McGarry, of Clarkston, East Renfrewshire, denies the two charges.

Mr McGarry, a retired civil servant, told the court in evidence that he was the guarantor on his daughter’s £5000 Amigo Loan which jurors heard was taken out in 2013.

He stated that he made one repayment of £197 as McGarry had failed to do so.

Mr McGarry stated that he and his wife gave McGarry money “regularly” from a Scottish building society bank account made up from their retirement lump sums.

He said: “We knew her financial situation and she was pursuing a cause I spent all my adult life supporting.

“She couldn’t do it all and was working night and day with WFI and Yes Scotland.”

He later said: “Looking back I paid out between £15,000 to £20,000 per a threeyear campaign, myself and my wife.”

Allan MacLeod, defending, asked the witness if he was happy to contribute to McGarry at that time and he replied: “Yes.”

He then went on to say that he paid McGarry a further £3000-£4000 as well as contributed £500 to a holiday before she became an MP.

Mr McGarry stated that he was “surprised” about the developments which came out about WFI’s finances and McGarry.

He said: “If it was the figure she misappropriated, we could have and would have covered that, if necessary.

“I didn’t think it would be anywhere near that.”

McGarry’s former office manager and friend Rachel Mackie, 41, earlier told the jury that she and McGarry had an “up and down” relationship.

Mrs Mackie claimed that she called McGarry when a press release from WFI revealed they were dealing with the police regarding mismanagement of the organisation’s finances.

She said: “I knew straight away it was Natalie. She was inconsolable.”

Mr MacLeod put it to the witness that McGarry was “disorganised and chaotic” when it came to finances in general.

Mrs Mackie replied: “I suppose so.”

Mr MacLeod asked: “At no time did she accept she did anything wrong in terms of committing a crime?”

Mrs Mackie replied: “That’s right, yes.”

The trial continues.