JK Rowling was a generous but unapproachable boss, according to a former personal assistant in court accused of fraudulently using the author’s credit card for spending sprees.

Amanda Donaldson, 35, was suspended and later dismissed in 2017 over alleged unauthorised spending and taking of Harry Potter merchandise to a total value of almost £24,000.

Rowling is seeking damages in a civil case brought under her married name, Joanne Murray, and alleges Donaldson made transactions including £3,629 in the retailer Molton Brown, £2,139 in the card shop Paper Tiger and more than £1,800 in Starbucks and Costa coffee shops on a company credit card without authorisation.

Giving evidence at Airdrie sheriff court, Donaldson said the author “could be really generous” and had bought her a replacement pushchair when her child’s original was damaged.

But she claimed she had never been given specific instructions for the use of the company credit card.

Donaldson said Rowling was often “busy writing and you had to respect that”, adding: “Approachable isn’t something I would say. People in the office would sometimes ask if she was in a good mood, in a terrified way.”

The PA said her boss had asked her to buy cards and gift wrapping that she got in Paper Tiger and claimed thousands of pounds spent on cakes and coffees were for business meetings and staff birthdays.

Donaldson said the purchases in Molton Brown were for the office while spending in the perfumer Jo Malone was at the request of Rowling.

The defendant said she had been told not to disturb the author when she was busy so had to make her own spending decisions. “It was my understanding I would make the decision and would tell her after what I had done. I was never told otherwise,” Donaldson said.

Questioned on how she responded to the fraud allegations, the 35-year-old said: “I really respected my role and would never have dreamed of doing anything like that. I’m quite offended and hurt.”

Donaldson was later asked by her lawyer Allana Turley: “As far as you were aware what you were doing with the card you were allowed to do?”

The PA said: “That’s correct.”

In previous evidence, Rowling’s husband, Dr Neil Murray, described Donaldson as “a good liar” and accused her of stealing Harry Potter merchandise stored in the office to be sent to sick children.

The court heard a former boyfriend of Donaldson had recently returned a box of Harry Potter goods to the office. She said she had corresponded with one ill child regularly and would send authorised gifts.

Asked if she had ever taken merchandise from the office for herself or her family, Donaldson said: “No. I wasn’t a fan, to be honest, of Harry Potter merchandise.”

The defendant also denied she had falsified an email from Castle Terrace restaurant in Edinburgh. She said she had paid a £400 deposit for a Christmas lunch but the cash had not been deducted from the final bill and the restaurant told Murray it did not ask for deposits.

Asked why the restaurant stated no cash deposit had been taken, the PA told the court: “I don’t know.”

Ending her evidence, Donaldson was asked if she thought she did a good job. She said: “I do … I believe I did the best for the business and Mrs Murray.”

The civil case before Sheriff Derek O’Carroll continues.