Natalie McGarry sentenced to two years in prison for taking cash from two pro-independence groups.
Image source, PA MediaFormer SNP MP Natalie McGarry has been jailed for embezzling £25,000 from two pro-independence groups.
The 40-year-old was sentenced to two years in prison.
She was found guilty last month of embezzling £19,974 while treasurer of Women For Independence and £4,661 when she was treasurer, secretary and convener of the Glasgow Regional Association of the SNP.
McGarry was the MP for Glasgow East between 2015 and 2017.
In December 2019, McGarry had an earlier conviction for embezzlement quashed after judges ruled she had suffered a miscarriage of justice.
It was alleged during a second, six-week trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court that McGarry spent some of the money on expenses such as rent and shopping.
Her legal team had admitted that her finances were “disorganised” and “chaotic”, but she denied both charges.
The court heard from dozens of witnesses, including Scotland’s former health secretary Jeane Freeman, who said she reported McGarry after noticing a significant shortfall in WFI accounts.
Ms Freeman said she had no idea donations made to the group’s independence crowdfunder were going from the organisation’s PayPal account into McGarry’s personal bank account.
She also voiced her frustrations at McGarry’s delay in handing over receipts and invoices which would show what the funds had been spent on.
Last month the jury returned majority verdicts on two charges after three hours of deliberations.
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