Natalie McGarry: ex-SNP MP found guilty of embezzlement has court confiscation hearing delayed

A confiscation hearing which aims to recoup the money embezzled by former SNP MP Natalie McGarry has been delayed until summer.

The former MP for Glasgow East, 41, was found guilty of embezzling almost £25,000 from pro-independence groups following a trial last year. She was initially jailed for two years before her sentence was reduced to 20 months following an appeal.

The newest hearing has been brought forward by prosecutors to try to recover the funds embezzled by McGarry. However, her lawyer Allan McLeod has had a submission to delay the confiscation hearing for 12 more weeks approved.

The delay comes as Mr McLeod said that there is an "extensive period" of financial records between McGarry and her husband, David Meikle, which will need to be examined. He said that records, which date back to as far as 2002, will need to be looked at to arrive at a figure which the Crown will attempt to recover in the confiscation hearing.

The court granted the delay, allowing both prosecutors and McGarry's camp to investigate the financial relationship between the couple. The hearing is now set to take place on 27 June at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

McGarry was found guilty of embezzling £19,974 from Women For Independence and £4,661 during her time as treasurer for the Glasgow Regional Association of the SNP. Following her sentencing, Sheriff Tom Hughes said the to ex-MP: “It’s quite clear that society has a right to expect the highest standards from those who seek and eventually achieve high public office. Through your role in these offences, you have not only betrayed the trust placed in you by others, but your standards have fallen well short of those the public should have a right to expect from MPs.”