Devine plans not guilty plea over expenses

JIM Devine and two other Labour MPs accused of expenses fraud said they would plead not guilty when they appeared in court for the first time.

Livingston MP Devine, Elliot Morley and David Chaytor face charges of theft by false accounting.

Appearing in the dock before City of Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday they told district judge Timothy Workman they denied any wrongdoing.

Their prosecution is the first to result from the Westminster expenses scandal.

All three MPs were released on unconditional bail and ordered to appear at Southwark Crown Court on 30 March.

The three MPs were accused of stealing money by abusing the parliamentary allowance system.

Devine is alleged to have claimed 3,240 for cleaning services and 5,505 for stationery using false invoices in 2008 and 2009.