Devine 'wanted receipts before payment'

A FORMER Labour MP accused of fiddling his parliamentary expenses asked a stationery company to confirm he had paid for orders when he never did so, a jury has heard.

Jim Devine allegedly requested that invoices be stamped to say money had been "received with thanks" before the orders were paid for.

The 57-year-old, who was MP for Livingston, is on trial at London's Southwark Crown Court accused of falsely claiming almost 9000.

Jennifer McCrea, the retired secretary of Armstrong Printing Limited in Clackmannanshire, said on one occasion Devine said his request was "a matter of urgency". She said customers often asked for an invoice to be "receipted", as confirmation a payment had been made. But she said Devine made his request before any money was paid or the job was done.

Devine, of West Main Street, Bathgate, denies two charges of false accounting. The trial continues.