Louise Haigh's photo of stolen phone 'taken after alleged theft'

Officers investigating Louise Haigh's "stolen" telephone believed a photograph she submitted of the handset had been taken aft the alleged theft, Sky News has been told.

Two sources said aft looking astatine metadata attached to the photograph - accusation that often details erstwhile photos were captured - officers believed it had been taken aft the day astatine which Ms Haigh alleged the telephone had been stolen.

Sources adjacent to Ms Haigh did not respond erstwhile approached astir the allegation.

The Sheffield MP resigned arsenic transport secretary connected Friday aft Sky News revealed she pleaded guilty and was convicted successful 2014 successful narration to an allegedly stolen phone.

The condemnation is believed to subordinate to fraud.

The present erstwhile transport caput claims the incidental was a "genuine mistake" from which she did not benefit.

However, Sky News has spoken to 3 sources who accidental the stolen telephone study was pursued by Ms Haigh for her ain idiosyncratic gain.

Sky News had besides spoken to 1 root who alleged that the handset was utilized to telephone Ms Haigh's parent soon aft the reported theft, but had been incapable to verify the allegation.

On Thursday night, Ms Haigh said the incidental arose aft she was "mugged portion connected a nighttime out" successful 2013.

She said she reported the incidental to the constabulary and gave officers a database of items she believed had been taken - including a enactment mobile phone.

However, successful her connection to Sky News, she said she discovered "some clip later" that "the mobile successful question had not been taken".

In the interim she was issued with different enactment phone. When she turned connected the archetypal enactment device, it "triggered constabulary attraction and I was asked to travel successful for questioning", she said.

"My solicitor advised maine not to remark during that interrogation and I regret pursuing that advice," she added.

"Under the proposal of my solicitor I pleaded blameworthy - contempt the information this was a genuine mistake from which I did not marque immoderate gain.

"The magistrates accepted each of these arguments and gave maine the lowest imaginable result (a discharge) available."

It is understood Ms Haigh believes she disclosed the incidental successful afloat erstwhile she was appointed to the shadiness furniture successful 2020.

However, Downing Street said connected Friday that Ms Haigh resigned aft "new information" emerged, but declined to accidental officially if the premier curate knew astir the condemnation erstwhile helium appointed his furniture successful July.

On Friday, a root told Sky News' governmental exertion Beth Rigby that the communicative that emerged connected Thursday was "inconsistent" with what Sir Keir had been told erstwhile Ms Haigh was appointed to his shadiness cabinet.

It is understood the premier curate was "not capable to quadrate the circle" and arsenic a effect the furniture curate was advised to resign.

Friends of Ms Haigh importune she shared the "full facts" of the condemnation and that Sir Keir "had expressed sympathy that constabulary had taken the determination to prosecute her".