Former local Labour party treasurer escapes jail

THE former treasurer of Edinburgh Eastern Labour Party has escaped a jail sentence for embezzling £4600 of constituency funds.

Karen Rennie

Karen Rennie was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay back the money she stole.

Rennie, 53, from Portobello, was treasurer of Edinburgh Eastern - Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale’s local party - for two years.

Up to £10,000 was thought to have gone missing from the accounts in 2014. The following year Labour activists called in police after getting fed-up of waiting for party bosses to investigate. It was later reported that about half the £10,000 had been accounted for.

Rennie was charged with embezzling £4600 and pled guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

A Labour spokesman said: “The party was a victim of fraud and we welcome the fact this case has now been resolved.”