She did not attend the court case to determine her fitness to plead, but evidence was heard that she was suffering from a depressive illness and associated anxiety of moderate severity. A forensic psychologist gave evidence that when she was at home in Southampton (that would be the home of her boyfriend, for which we paid out £20,000 to treat the dry rot...so at least she doesn't have to worry about the floor giving way), when, for example, she was cooking or watching television, she might seem to be only mildly depressed, (as indeed probably around 3/4 of the population is). However, when the case has to be discussed, she becomes severely depressed.
And it gets better. She feels that she has been abandoned by the Labour Party. I mean, what on Earth did she expect? Quietly in the background, I'm sure that the Labour Party encouraged the use of expenses to make up salaries to what they thought they deserved, but she surely didn't expect that the leadership would support her when she was caught... or maybe she is really that stupid.
Of course she is depressed. She used to have a job which paid £65,000 a year plus incredibly generous expenses (the ones she abused), and for which she appeared to have to do very little work (she didn't do much in the way of constituency duties). She was known as 'The Hon Lady', she travelled first class, she had privilege and position. Now she's just a lag awaiting trial. She's fallen off a pedestal and landed flat on her lardy backside.
If I were in her position, I would be so ashamed I'd never go out at all. I'd be spending my time in bed. In fact I'd probably be saving up my pills so that I could end it all.
What I cannot understand is why she gets away with not being able to plead because she feels ashamed. Would this work for someone caught stealing a similar amount from social security? Any ideas?
