A Cabinet Minister pleaded guilty to fraud after falsely reporting that her phone was stolen during a traumatic mugging over a decade ago.
Louise Haigh admitted to misleading police in 2014 after she told officers her work phone had been snatched during the incident in London in 2013. The Transport Secretary gave police a list of what she thought had been stolen, including a phone issued by her then employer, insurance giant Aviva.
But later she discovered the work phone in her house and switched it on. Ms Haigh said she regretted remaining silent on the advice of a solicitor when police interviewed her after detecting the phone had been switched on.
In a statement tonight, Ms Haigh said: “In 2013 I was mugged while on a night out. I was a young woman and the experience was terrifying. I reported it to the police and gave them a list of what I believed had been taken – including a work mobile phone that had been issued by my employer.
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PA)
“Some time later I discovered that the mobile in question had not been taken. In the interim I had been issued with another work phone. The original work device being switched on triggered police attention and I was asked to come in for questioning.
“My solicitor advised me not to comment during that interview and I regret following that advice. The police referred the matter to the CPS and I appeared before Southwark magistrates.
“Under the advice of my solicitor I pleaded guilty – despite the fact this was a genuine mistake from which I did not make any gain. The magistrates accepted all of these arguments and gave me the lowest possible outcome (a discharge) available.”
It is understood that she informed Keir Starmer about the conviction – which is now spent – on being appointed to the Shadow Cabinet in 2020. Ms Haigh was elected as MP for Sheffield Heeley in 2015, and had previously worked at Aviva as a public policy manager.
Nigel Huddleston, Chairman of the Conservative Party, said: “These are extremely concerning revelations about the person responsible for managing £30bn of taxpayers’ money. Keir Starmer has serious questions to answer regarding what he knew and when about the person he appointed as Transport Secretary admitting to having misled the police.”
Aviva declined to comment.