Expenses scandal MP Jim Devine accused of using false invoices

Court told that former MP for Livingston made claims for printing and cleaning that was never done

A former Labour MP accused of fiddling his parliamentary expenses used false invoices to claim for cleaning that was not done, a court heard today.

Jim Devine, 57, who held the Scottish seat of Livingston, is on trial at Southwark crown court, London, for falsely claiming almost 9,000. He also claimed for the printing of leaflets that were never printed, the prosecution says.

Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said the case against Devine, elected in September 2005, was "very straightforward".

Going through the charges, he said the former MP made the claims "with a view to gain for himself, or with an intent to cause loss to another the public purse".

Wright said he used five false invoices to claim for the cleaning and two false documents to claim for printing leaflets. "It's a false claim for expenses. That's what it amounts to," he said. "They are from a legitimate company but they are not in respect of work that was done. They were, in fact, false documents."

The first count alleges that, between July 2008 and May 2009, Devine dishonestly claimed 3,240 for cleaning services from Tom O'Donnell Hygiene and Cleaning Services. This claim was made for his second home near Westminster.

The second count alleges that between March and April 2009 he dishonestly claimed 5,505 for stationery from Armstrong Printing using false invoices.

Devine, of West Main Street, Bathgate, West Lothian, denies both charges of false accounting.


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