Natalie McGarry, a former SNP MP convicted on a 20-month sentence for embezzling £25,000 from pro-independence groups, has coughed up just £66.36 – despite benefitting £55,000 from general criminal conduct. Fiscal depute Brian Duffy said that was “the only amount available to Miss McGarry towards the confiscation order.” Admittedly her lawyer did warn the court back in March that amount of cash she could hand over was “essentially nil”…
Her defence said today that while she still maintains her innocence, she will hand over the enormous fine within a month:
“There is an agreed benefit figure for general criminal conduct which is £55,870 and there is an agreed available amount of £66.36. There is an agreed joint minute that you make a confiscation order for £66.36 and that will be paid to the sheriff’s clerk within one month of today… There are statutory presumptions that she accepts applies to her. She is unable to vouch for these amounts that went into her account over a period of 10 years. She accepts she is unable to rebut the statutory presumptions.”
Where’s the Bank of Humza Yousaf when you need it…
