Devine’s legal battle with ex-office manager goes on

A LEGAL battle between shamed ex-Livingston MP Jim Devine and his former office manager is to continue.

Marion Kinley, 48, is demanding £75,000 damages, claiming her one-time boss falsely accused her of being a casino addict. Mr Devine is contesting the case. He says some of the alleged conversations simply did not take place. Other remarks he is supposed to have made about Ms Kinley, of Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, were substantially true.

At the Court of Session in Edinburgh yesterday Mr Devine, 59, failed in an attempt to halt the proceedings on legal grounds. Judge Morag Wise, QC, ruled that the case should go ahead, although in front of a judge rather than a jury.

Mr Devine served a quarter of a 16-month prison sentence after being convicted of fiddling more than £8000 in expenses by submitting false invoices.

Ms Kinley worked for him both while he was an MP and while he worked at Unison.