A BUSINESSWOMAN told a court she had never met a charity boss despite the woman claiming expenses for the meeting.

Vera Weisfeld, 76, who with her husband created the "What Everyone Wants" stores, told Edinburgh Sheriff Court she never met Elaine McGonigle, the fund-raising campaign director of the "New Pyjamas Campaign" in October 2009.

Mrs Weisfeld, from Bridge of Weir, was giving evidence in the trial of McGonigle, 50, who denies 13 charges of fraudulently claiming £1,855 in expenses for meetings with prominent people and for air fares between September 22, 2008, and March 5, 2010. The campaign was set up by the Sick Kids Friends Foundation to raise money for a new Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

McGonigle, from Errol in Perthshire, is alleged to have claimed expenses of £80.80 for a meeting with Mrs Weisfeld on October 19, 2009.

Giving evidence, Mrs Weisfeld said she had received a telephone call from a police officer in 2011 asking if she had had a meeting with McGonigle on that day. "I did not" she replied. Asked by Fiscal Depute, Pauline Shade, if McGonigle's name had meant anything to her at that time, she replied: "Not really. No".

Mrs Weisfeld said: "I keep a diary with all my dates, so I know exactly. I checked my diary and I had been in Australia and then Dubai. On that particular date, I was in Dubai."

Defence counsel, Drew Mackenzie, put it to Mrs Weisfeld that in the police statement she had said "I do not think I ever met her". "That might mean you were not certain" he said.

The trial continues.