Harry Potter author J.K Rowling has won a court battle against her ex-PA who must now repay £18,734 she spent on coffee and posh toiletries using a business credit card.
The author's husband had also accused his wife's ex-PA Amanda Donaldson of stealing from “sick and dying children” by giving away Potter memorabilia earmarked for charities.
Dr Neil Murray, 47, made the comments at Airdrie Sheriff Court in December, during a legal action against his Ms Donaldson, 35.
It was claimed Donaldson abused a business credit card given to her to spend on booking flights and hotels for professional travel by using it for unauthorised purchases.
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JK Rowling pursued civil action under her real name Joanne Murray against Ms Donaldson who she employed from 2014 to 2017 before she was sacked Court documents claimed Donaldson, of Coatbridge, spent £3,629 on products from Molton Brown, £2,139 in the card shop Paper Tiger, another £1,636 in Starbucks, and £1,482 on products from Jo Malone.
In one day alone, Donaldson spent £1,052 at posh soap shop Molton Brown – which Dr Murray told the court he believed was the equivalent of 400 bottles of soap.
The total unauthorised spending of £23,696 the credit card was said to be a “conservative estimate” by the family's chartered accountant.
But after Donaldson withdrew £400 in cash followed by £250 in December 2016, and failed to provide receipts or invoices, accountants began a “forensic investigation”, leading to her dismissal in April 2017.
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A spokesman for the author said: "J.K. Rowling is pleased that Sheriff O’Carroll has ruled that her former PA Amanda Donaldson must repay the money she fraudulently misappropriated from Ms Rowling.
"From the outset Ms Rowling made it clear that the decision to take this matter to court was a last resort and not for her personal benefit, but rather to protect the reputation of her existing staff, and to make sure Ms Donaldson is not in a position to breach the trust of another employer.
"Terms of the recovery will be decided in due course, and the money owed will be donated to J. K. Rowling’s charity Lumos."
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