Pro-independence campaigners have told how they went through a "living hell" for seven years because of former SNP MP Natalie McGarry.
Suzanne McLaughlin, a Women for Independence (WfI) board member, described the "incredible betrayal of trust" by McGarry after she was found guilty of embezzling almost £25,000 from two campaign groups between 2013 and 2015.
While the ex- Glasgow East MP was treasurer of WfI she was accused of taking £21,000.
READ MORE: Sheriff slams ex-SNP MP Natalie McGarry for 'betraying' people who put trust in her
Between April 9, 2014 and August 10, 2015 when she was treasurer, secretary and convener of the Glasgow Regional Association (GRA) of the SNP she embezzled £4,661.
A jury found her guilty by majority of a charge in relation to WfI and also by majority as regards the GRA-related charge.
She was sentenced to two years in jail at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday.
Following the sentencing McLaughlin told The Nine that McGarry should not be spending time in jail for her crimes.
She said: "It's an extremely difficult time, I think the words used have been betrayal. For the founding members with Natalie it's been even more of a deep betrayal they were friends as well as colleagues.
"Natalie was a colleague of mine and I feel shocked, angered, hurt and betrayed. For those women who were witnesses who have had their lives put on hold for seven years, it was an incredible betrayal of trust.
"We were pleased when the guilty verdict came in because we've been vindicated as an organisation, it's been a very difficult seven years. It has hampered us as an organisation, we've had to be very quiet. We've not been able to do some fundraising and their has been a cloud hanging over.
"We were put to a living hell for the last seven years. Saddened of course by this imprisonment, it's not necessarily and it's not appropriate in our mine.
"We can now as an organisation draw a line under it and get on with the really important business."
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