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| Salmond backs fraud plea minister | Salmond backs fraud plea minister |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Alex Salmond has said he backed his deputy first minister "110%" after she wrote a letter in support of a man who could be jailed for benefit fraud. | Alex Salmond has said he backed his deputy first minister "110%" after she wrote a letter in support of a man who could be jailed for benefit fraud. |
| Nicola Sturgeon is facing calls to resign after she said she was "duty-bound" to make representations on behalf of 60-year-old Abdul Rauf. | Nicola Sturgeon is facing calls to resign after she said she was "duty-bound" to make representations on behalf of 60-year-old Abdul Rauf. |
| He defrauded more than £80,000 from the Department for Work and Pensions. | He defrauded more than £80,000 from the Department for Work and Pensions. |
| Mr Salmond described Ms Sturgeon, the MSP for Govan, as a "fantastic" deputy who had acted "entirely appropriately". | Mr Salmond described Ms Sturgeon, the MSP for Govan, as a "fantastic" deputy who had acted "entirely appropriately". |
| Speaking during first minister's questions, Mr Salmond said: "I think she is a fantastic deputy first minister of Scotland and she has my 110% support." | |
| He said: "Every MSP should have a duty of care to their constituents and if you can help you should try to help. That is what a real constituency MSP like Nicola Sturgeon serves her constituents for." | He said: "Every MSP should have a duty of care to their constituents and if you can help you should try to help. That is what a real constituency MSP like Nicola Sturgeon serves her constituents for." |
| Mr Salmond cited examples of other court cases where politicians, including Gordon Brown, had written references on behalf of constituents. | Mr Salmond cited examples of other court cases where politicians, including Gordon Brown, had written references on behalf of constituents. |
| Brian TaylorPolitical editor Did she have a "duty", as she says, to act as she did? | Brian TaylorPolitical editor Did she have a "duty", as she says, to act as she did? |
| It might be argued that she had a duty to respond to an approach from a constituent or one lodged on his behalf. | It might be argued that she had a duty to respond to an approach from a constituent or one lodged on his behalf. |
| It might be argued further that she did not have to write to the court. | It might be argued further that she did not have to write to the court. |
| These matters are a question of judgement. | These matters are a question of judgement. |
| Read Brian Taylor's blog | Read Brian Taylor's blog |
| However, Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said Ms Sturgeon had shown a lack of judgement, asking: "What crime do you have to commit in order not to receive a character reference from the first minister or his deputy?" | However, Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said Ms Sturgeon had shown a lack of judgement, asking: "What crime do you have to commit in order not to receive a character reference from the first minister or his deputy?" |
| He added: "Let us be clear, no member of this parliament is bound to vouch for the character of just anyone. The MSPs' code said members should consider issues on their merits, taking account of the views of others." | He added: "Let us be clear, no member of this parliament is bound to vouch for the character of just anyone. The MSPs' code said members should consider issues on their merits, taking account of the views of others." |
| Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how Rauf admitted failing to declare a £200,000 property in Edinburgh on his application for income support. He subsequently received £650 a month in rent while he claimed benefits between 2001 and 2006. | Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how Rauf admitted failing to declare a £200,000 property in Edinburgh on his application for income support. He subsequently received £650 a month in rent while he claimed benefits between 2001 and 2006. |
| At the same time he was living in a £400,000 house in Glasgow's Maxwell Park area. | At the same time he was living in a £400,000 house in Glasgow's Maxwell Park area. |
| In her letter to the court, Ms Sturgeon said Rauf had already repaid £27,000 of the money owed and had said he was going to sell one of his properties to repay the rest of the cash. | In her letter to the court, Ms Sturgeon said Rauf had already repaid £27,000 of the money owed and had said he was going to sell one of his properties to repay the rest of the cash. |
| Ms Sturgeon, who said she became aware of the case in July 2008, also pointed out in the letter that Rauf had suffered from poor health for a number of years and had a family with children under the age of 10. | Ms Sturgeon, who said she became aware of the case in July 2008, also pointed out in the letter that Rauf had suffered from poor health for a number of years and had a family with children under the age of 10. |
| She asked the court not to jail him because of the impact that might have on his health and family life. | She asked the court not to jail him because of the impact that might have on his health and family life. |
| 'Beggars belief' | 'Beggars belief' |
| Sheriff Alan MacKenzie told Rauf that a jail term was "at the forefront" of his mind but said he would defer sentence for three months and released him on bail. | Sheriff Alan MacKenzie told Rauf that a jail term was "at the forefront" of his mind but said he would defer sentence for three months and released him on bail. |
| The conviction is Rauf's second for fraud - in 1996 he was given a four-year sentence for stealing nearly £60,000 in pension and benefit payments when he was a sub-post master at Tollcross in Edinburgh. | The conviction is Rauf's second for fraud - in 1996 he was given a four-year sentence for stealing nearly £60,000 in pension and benefit payments when he was a sub-post master at Tollcross in Edinburgh. |
| Ms Sturgeon told the BBC: "This constituent accepted his wrongdoing, he has made attempts to pay back some of the money, but those are matters for the court to take into account. | Ms Sturgeon told the BBC: "This constituent accepted his wrongdoing, he has made attempts to pay back some of the money, but those are matters for the court to take into account. |
| "I'm duty-bound to make reasonable representations, that's what I did as a constituency MSP, and ultimately it is for the court to make a decision about the disposal of the case." | "I'm duty-bound to make reasonable representations, that's what I did as a constituency MSP, and ultimately it is for the court to make a decision about the disposal of the case." |
| The Conservatives described Ms Sturgeon's intervention as "ill considered" for someone in her position, while the Liberal Democrats said it "beggars belief". | The Conservatives described Ms Sturgeon's intervention as "ill considered" for someone in her position, while the Liberal Democrats said it "beggars belief". |