This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

An MP’s former aide has spoken of her relief after she was found not guilty of forgery and fraud against her former employer.

Jenny Lee Clarke, 42, who was office manager for the Welsh Labour deputy leader, Carolyn Harris, was accused of submitting a form increasing her annual pay from £37,000 to £39,000 and decreasing her weekly hours from 40 to 37.5.

Clarke was said to have forged Harris’s signature on the form, which was submitted to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) in August 2015. When Ipsa sent an email to the Swansea East MP confirming the change, Clarke was said to have logged into the MP’s account and replied: “Yes, this is correct.”

But a jury at Cardiff crown court took less than 90 minutes to find Clarke not guilty of both charges. Speaking afterwards, Clarke said: “I am just elated.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Jenny Lee Clarke. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

The trial also heard allegations that Harris pulled the hair of the defendant so hard that clumps came out.

The MP, who is now shadow minister for women and equalities, was also accused of “outing” Clarke, who is gay, to colleagues and referring to her “dyke boots”.

Police began an investigation when Clarke, of Swansea, was demoted and her replacement examined staff reports detailing hours and salary.

In a police interview, Clarke admitted signing Harris’s name on the form and sending the email from her account but insisted both were done at the MP’s instruction.

Harris was elected MP for Swansea East at the general election in 2015, after her predecessor, Sian James, stepped down. Both Harris and Clarke had worked for James before the election.

Harris told the jury she had never authorised a pay rise for the defendant and also denied pulling her hair when they worked together for James.

The defence barrister, Stephen Donnelly, accused Harris of abusing Clarke and “outing” her to colleagues when she had confided that she was gay.

The MP said there was “office banter” and both women would criticise each other’s dress sense. “Was it office banter when you said ‘look at your dyke boots’?” Donnelly asked. Harris replied: “I don’t remember saying that but if I did it would have been banter. It’s a term for lesbian. Jenny Clarke is. I’m certainly not homophobic. I’m an ally of the LGBT community and I have always been.”