David Mackintosh trial: Three £10k donations 'were astonishing'

David Mackintosh, pictured, is on trial at Warwick Crown Court alongside property developer Howard Grossman

A former local Conservative Party chairman has described donations made to an ex-MP as "astonishing".

The trial of David Mackintosh has heard how three £10,000 payments in 2014 exceeded all previous amounts donated to Northampton South Conservative Association (NSCA).

Michael Clarke said the donations had to be referred up to Tory headquarters.

Mr Mackintosh is accused of not disclosing the true source of the money and denies the charges against him.

Property developer Howard Grossman is also standing trial at Warwick Crown Court.

The compliance department at Conservative Campaign Headquarters in London was required to be informed about large donations, jurors heard

Mr Mackintosh was elected Conservative MP for Northampton South in 2015 but stood down two years later.

Giving evidence on the fourth day of the trial, the honorary NSCA chairman at the time of the payments, Michael Clarke, told jurors it was normally "very difficult to raise money at constituency level" describing it as "a struggle".

Mr Clarke stated the £10,000 sums, from three individuals who lived outside of the area, "dwarfed" all donations made over the previous two decades.

Michael Clarke was the honorary chairman of Northampton South Conservative Association in 2014

Mr Clarke said £30,000 in donations had to be declared to the party centrally and added: "We were concerned with these extraordinary five figure sums.

"My focus was to get them checked thoroughly by Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ)."

The witness told the jury he discussed the matter with Mr Mackintosh alongside the then-constituency association chairman, Suresh Patel.

Personal dislike

According to Mr Clarke, Mr Mackintosh's explanation was that he had met the donors while working in a previous role for CCHQ under the national party chairman at the time, Eric Pickles.

When questioned by Mr Mackintosh's barrister, Cairns Nelson KC, Mr Clarke denied harbouring a personal dislike of the accused or having a distaste for his politics.

"He was a Remainer and you were a Brexiteer?" asked Mr Nelson.

The witness replied: "We didn't discuss the matter. It made no difference."

Howard Grossman, pictured leaving court following a previous appearance, also denies the charges

Previously the jury was told the true source of the donations, each made by three men - and a series of smaller payments of £1,500 by six others - was Mr Grossman.

Mr Mackintosh, of Station Road, Northampton, and Mr Grossman, 61, of Caldecote Gardens, Bushey, Hertfordshire, both deny two offences under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

Both are accused of failing to ensure NSCA was provided with the correct information as to the source of donations, which were made between January and September 2014.

The trial continues.