THE DISTRAUGHT ex-husband of an Edzell grandmother who admitted stealing £55,000 from him has accused her of conning the court.

Vera Haggart (64) was sentenced to 300 hours of community service for the offences and yesterday Des Haggart broke his silence to describe her sentence as no more than a slap on the wrist and claim she left behind a trail of deceit within the village.

“She will learn nothing from this,” said Mr Haggart, who also criticised the sheriff’s personal attack on his character.

“She pleaded guilty and that has meant much of what happened will never be made public.

“I have been given no chance to say anything. I wish it had gone to trial. I want people to know there is another side to the story.”

When Mrs Haggart admitted the thefts last November, Sheriff Richard Davidson told her, “What an untrustworthy, manipulative, evil creature you have turned out to be.”

When he passed sentenced two months later, Sheriff Davidson said, “Mr Haggart appears to have come out of this smelling of roses and we all know where they grow best.”

It was stated in court that Mr Haggart had fathered a child during an extra-marital affair in 1976, but the marriage lasted until Mrs Haggart’s theft came to light in 2005.

He said, “How what happened over 30 years ago had anything to do with this case I don’t know. She has blamed that for everything she did.”

Last night Mr Haggart said he hoped he could draw a line under what had happened and start afresh.