Ex-MP Natalie McGarry fires counsel days ahead of embezzlement trial
By Democrat reporter
Former MP Natalie McGarry has fired her defence counsel just days before she is expected to go on trial.
McGarry, pictured right, who briefly represented the SNP at Westminster in 2015, is accused of embezzling over £40,000, mostly from the campaign organisation Women for Independence.
The National reports that John McElroy, her now former advocate, was due to represent her at the six-week trial starting next week.
The ex-politician sought an adjournment in order to work with a new lawyer, however Sheriff Paul Crozier refused the request.
The sheriff said: “The defence motion is refused. I can’t see why the trial should be adjourned, plenty of time has been given to Ms McGarry and she has chosen to dispense with her counsel.”
Spotting that McGarry was shaking her head in the dock, he continued: “Ms McGarry, it doesn’t do you any good at all to sit there shaking your head. I made the position very clear on the last occasion.”
Court papers allege that McGarry embezzled money while she was treasurer of Women for Independence, which she helped to set up ahead of the 2014 independence referendum, and also while acting as convener of the SNP’s Glasgow Regional Association.
She is also accused of failing to transfer charitable donations to the Perth and Kinross food bank and Positive Prison Positive Futures.
The former Glasgow East MP denies three charges of embezzlement and another of failure to disclose “encrypted electronic data”.
Source: The National