A SENIOR councillor has told a jury that a former city mayor would have told her if he had been handed money during Royal celebrations in her city.

Pauline McHardy was deputy mayor for Ripon and Andrew Williams mayor during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 when the prosecution alleges he stole £220 ice cream takings which an ice cream vendor gave him for the city council's bank account.

She told York Crown Court she did not see him receive any money from anyone during the event on June 4, 2012, in Ripon's Market Square.

"I know for a fact that if anyone had given Andrew any money, he would have told me," she claimed as she gave evidence for the defence.

Williams, 34, of Locker Lane, Ripon, denies fraud and claims he never got the money.

Cllr McHardy alleged she was near Williams throughout the evening, except when she went for a burger after 9pm. During that time many people came up to congratulate him on the celebrations. Williams chaired the organising committee.

She claimed that at some time that day, Williams told her that there was £500 in the cash box of the souvenir mug stall she helped man during the event.

"I was gobsmacked," she said. The stall had sold about seven mugs during the day, despite dropping their price from £7.50 or £7 to £5.

She also alleged there was no "paper trail" enabling the city council to keep track of which outlets had received mugs for sale and owed the council sale money.

The trial continues.