Natalie McGarry: Charity did not receive donation

The trial of Natalie McGarry is taking place at Glasgow Sheriff Court

A charity did not receive a donation from an independence organisation whose finances were controlled by ex-MP Natalie McGarry, a court has heard.

The chief executive of Positive Prisons Positive Futures claimed that Women for Independence (WFI) failed to send £326 from a bucket collection in March 2015.

Peter White provided bank details but said he did not hear from WFI again.

Ms McGarry, 40, denies embezzling £25,000 from two pro-Scottish independence campaign groups.

The ex-SNP MP for Glasgow East allegedly embezzled £21,000 while she was treasurer for WFI between 26 April 2013 and 30 November 2015.

A second charge states Ms McGarry took £4,661 between 9 April 2014 and 10 August 2015 while treasurer, secretary and convenor of the Glasgow Regional Association.

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Jurors at Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that WFI held a bucket collection at a conference which was split between the organisation and the Positive Prisons charity.

The charity's aim was to "improve the chances of people who were prisoners to restore citizenship when they were released", Mr White stated.

An email shown to the jury from March 2014 displayed Mr White thanking WFI as well as providing the bank details for the £326 donation.

Prosecutor Alistair Mitchell asked if Mr White heard again from WFI and he replied "No."

A further email shown from Mr White to WFI in April 2014 asked if "everything was ok."

An email from Ms McGarry that day said the cheque had not been cashed.

She appeared to apologise for the "confusion" and asked for an address to send the cheque.

'Natalie was skint'

But Mr White said the charity did not send the information requested as they "were a busy charity".

"I put it on the back burner and didn't pursue it any further," he added, confirming "there was no donation received from WFI".

Fellow WFI founder Shona McAlpine, a friend of Ms McGarry's, told the jury the "informal organisation" ran on trust.

Ms McAlpine, 42, claimed she and McGarry "were the ones doing all the work" for WFI.

The witness stated that McGarry was "not the most well-off person in the world."

She added: "Natalie was skint, let's be honest, it happens."

The secondary school teacher was health secretary Humza Yousaf's office manager.

Mr Yousaf told the court on Monday that he loaned Ms McGarry £600 on one occasion to pay her rent and stop her being evicted from her home.

Ms McAlpine stated that she "did not see Natalie spending extravagant money or anything like that."

'Clumsiness and disorganisation'

Allan Macleod, defending, asked if it was fair to say Ms McGarry was spinning a lot of plates at the time in her roles with WFI, the SNP and Yes Glasgow.

She replied: "Yes, not a lot of people stepped up to do the work."

Ms McAlpine was also asked how she would describe Ms McGarry. "Trustworthy, caring, always willing to helping out friends," she said.

"If something needs done, she was always willing to be there and support and help.

"For all I love her, she is a nightmare for clumsiness and disorganisation.

"She was a fantastic person but more or less the opposite in many ways."

The trial, before Sheriff Tom Hughes, continues.