SCOTTISH Health Secretary Humza Yousaf told a jury that he loaned Natalie McGarry money to stop her being evicted from her home.

Mr Yousaf said he transferred £600 into her account after she visited his office in a “distressed” state in February 2014 and said she was threatened with losing her property.

Ms McGarry, 40, who is originally from Inverkeithing, allegedly stole more than £25,000 from two organisations advocating for Scottish independence between April 2013 and August 2015.

The former Glasgow East SNP MP allegedly embezzled £21,000 while treasurer for Women for Independence between April 26, 2013, and November 30, 2015.

A second charge states Ms McGarry took £4,661 between April 9, 2014, and August 10, 2015, when she was treasurer, secretary and convenor of Glasgow Regional Association (GRA) of the SNP.

Mr Yousaf told jurors in evidence at Glasgow Sheriff Court that Ms McGarry arrived at his West Nile Street constituency office.

He said: “She came to my office in a state of distress.

“I asked her what was wrong and she told me she was threatened with being evicted that day if she didn’t come up with around the sum of £600 and she didn’t have the money at that point.

“There was a reason I can’t remember in much detail. There was a reason her and her partner didn’t have access to the funds.

“I offered to give her a loan of funds about the £600 mark from the bank across the road.

“I made the transaction and the money was returned roughly in the timescale.”

Mr Mitchell said: “Was there a discussion on the source of the funds being used to pay the money back?”

Mr Yousaf replied: “No.”

Mr Mitchell showed a bank statement which stated that the money was paid back in April 2014.

Allan Macleod, defending, put it to Mr Yousaf that Ms McGarry had not gone directly to the witness and asked for cash.

The lawyer suggested that he had overheard a telephone call between Ms McGarry and office manager Shona McAlpine then a later conversation between the two in person at his office.

Mr Yousaf agreed and stated that he had then had a conversation with Ms McGarry, where he discussed loaning the money.

He was also asked by Mr Macleod if it was fair to say that Ms McGarry was “disorganised” and “over-dramatic.”

Mr Yousaf replied: “Yes.”

The court also heard from Jonathan Mackie, 42, who stated that he was sent money on numerous occasions by Ms McGarry, who “misplaced” her bank card.

He stated that he was then tasked with taking money out of the bank to give to her.

The witness believed initially this happened on “five or six” occasions but he told the jury that he was informed by the police that this took place 13 times.

Mr Mackie claimed that he visited Ms McGarry and her partner after WFI released a statement regarding the ongoing issues between them.

He stated that he offered the couple the use of his nearby property for two nights.

Mr Mitchell asked what Ms McGarry’s demeanour was like that night.

He replied: “She was quite rational at the start trying to work out a strategy of how to fight it.

“Over the course of the night, she was being emotional and was in complete bits, crying a lot.

“As that evening went on, she was saying, ‘Let’s fight this’.”

He later said: “I cleared the spare bedroom and obviously put kitchen knives away as I was concerned for her welfare.”

The witness claimed that he then found out Ms McGarry had taken out a loan with Amigo Loans.

He said: “This was past her being elected after May 2015, that’s what was surprising.

“I knew how much she earned after tax and the idea would be if you need a payday loan to get you through to payday as the name suggests – it was just crackers.”

Mr Macleod put it to Mr Mackie that the loan was not a “payday loan” but £5,000 she took out from Amigo over a five-year period in December 2013.

Ms McGarry denies the two charges.

The trial continues.