'Fiddled expenses cleared MP's overdraft'

A FORMER Labour MP accused of fiddling his parliamentary expenses submitted false invoices to claim cash which cleared his overdraft, a court heard.

Jim Devine, 57, who held a Commons seat for Livingston, is on trial at London's Southwark Crown Court for falsely claiming almost 9,000 from the public purse.

Devine, who was elected in 2005, is alleged to have submitted five false invoices for cleaning and maintenance work to his London flat, and two false documents to claim for printing leaflets. He denies the charges.

However, none of the work was ever carried out and when confronted, Devine tried to blame a secretary who he said was trying to frame him, the court heard.

Jurors were told that Devine, whose main residence was in Bathgate, West Lothian, was almost always overdrawn and that one false claim of 2,400 had been enough to clear it - but only for one day.

Opening the case yesterday, prosecutor Peter Wright QC told jurors the case against him was "very straightforward".

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.

But the court heard that while Tom O'Donnell did provide legitimate cleaning services, he was more familiar to Devine as the landlord of his local pub. Devine was a regular at the Prince of Wales near his second home in Elliot's Row in Elephant and Castle, south-east London, Mr Wright said.

Although a cleaner employed by Mr O'Donnell did carry out cleaning work at the flat, Devine carried on using a blank invoice given to him by the publican to claim for further work that was never carried out, the court was told.

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

Mr Wright said: "The invoices were fiction. No such costs had been incurred."

He added: "The money he received from the fees office was sufficient to extinguish his overdraft."

Jurors were told that MPs may only claim back expenses that "are wholly reasonable and necessarily incurred by them in relation to their parliamentary duties". They heard the rules and regulations on submitting expenses were clearly set out in a tome entitled The Green Book which was readily available to every MP. Referring to the rules, Mr Wright said of the defendant: "He had every opportunity to acquaint himself with them. It was clearly in his best interests to do so."

He said the guide listed the fundamental principles MPs should adhere to when making expenses claims. "These are based on concepts of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

"We say these are qualities of which Mr Devine demonstrated a woeful inadequacy."

The prosecutor said that in the wake of the publication of MPs' expenses, police contacted Mr O'Donnell in September 2009 to ask him about five invoices amounting to 3,240.

Mr O'Donnell in turn spoke to Devine on the matter, but he was "dismissive" and said the inquiry was a "wind-up". He also instructed Mr O'Donnell not to talk to the police again.

The court heard Devine then proceeded to deny any knowledge of the invoices, and tried to blame it on a secretary he accused of trying to frame him.

Mr Wright said: "We say indeed it would be a very curious vendetta if the victim is also the recipient of the money."

The trial continues.