By Tony O'Riley-
Disgraced MP Natalie McGarry is locked in a deep battle to have a theft conviction of £25,000 that sent her to jail overturned.
However, prosecutors have vowed to bring MP Natalie McGarry back to court in any event she wins an appeal against a conviction. Prosecution lawyer Alex Prentice QC told judge Lord Menzies on Thursday that the Crown would retry Ms McGarry for stealing more than £25,000 from pro-Scottish independence groups.
Mr Prentice made the admission during a short procedural hearing at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh.
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Lawyers acting for the former SNP parliamentarian have applied to appeal judges to quash her conviction. They claim their client – who was jailed at Glasgow Sheriff Court for 18 months in June 2019 – had received “defective representation” from her previous legal team.
Ms McGarry was jailed after being convicted of stealing money she wasn’t entitled to from the SNP’s Glasgow Regional Association and Women for Independence. Among the money embezzled were donations meant for a food bank. The disgraced MP used the money on rent, a holiday to Spain, transfers of money to her husband and other lifestyle expenses.
McGarry, who was an MP between 2015 and 2017, pleaded guilty to two charges of embezzlement at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
Passing sentence, Sheriff Crozier told McGarry: “You have fallen very far short of the standards the general public should expect from their elected representatives.
“There is no alternative than a custodial sentence as you have shown no remorse.”
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Lord Menzies then continued the case to another procedural hearing which will take place on October 10 2019. The judge also said the actual appeal will take place shortly before Christmas.
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