Transport secretary admits pleading guilty to offence in connection with misleading police over 'stolen' phone

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has admitted pleading blameworthy to an offence connected with misleading the constabulary portion a parliamentary campaigner successful 2014, Sky News tin reveal.

Sky News understands Ms Haigh appeared astatine Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court six months earlier the 2015 wide election, aft making a mendacious study to officers that her mobile telephone had been stolen.

Ms Haigh said she was "mugged portion connected a nighttime out" successful 2013. She past reported the incidental to the constabulary and gave officers a database of items she believed had been taken - including a enactment mobile phone.

In a connection to Sky News, the transport caput said she discovered "some clip later" that "the mobile successful question had not been taken".

She added: "In the interim, I had been issued with different enactment phone."

The transport caput said: "The archetypal enactment instrumentality being switched connected triggered constabulary attraction and I was asked to travel successful for questioning.

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

"The constabulary referred the substance to the CPS and I appeared earlier Southwark magistrates."

Ms Haigh continued: "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's understood her condemnation is present classified arsenic 'spent'.

However, 3 abstracted sources claimed she made the mendacious study to payment personally, with 2 of the sources alleging she wanted a much modern enactment handset that was being rolled retired to her colleagues astatine the time.

The present furniture curate had been moving arsenic a nationalist argumentation manager astatine Aviva, but 2 sources said she mislaid her occupation astatine the security steadfast due to the fact that of the incident.

Her authorities illustration states she near this relation successful 2015 earlier becoming the MP for Sheffield Heeley astatine that year's wide election.

Sky News understands the incidental was disclosed successful afloat erstwhile Ms Haigh was appointed to the shadiness cabinet.

In the connection fixed to Sky News, the transport caput said: "I was a young pistillate and the acquisition was terrifying."

Before entering politics, the transport caput was a peculiar constable successful the Metropolitan Police - serving betwixt 2009 and 2011 successful the South London Borough of Lambeth, adjacent to wherever she was convicted respective years later.

She was appointed shadiness policing curate by Jeremy Corbyn successful 2017 and often drew connected her acquisition successful the Met erstwhile challenging the Tory authorities connected the rising demands connected officers.

As transport secretary, Ms Haigh appoints members of the committee that oversees the British Transport Police.

In 2019 she said that Boris Johnson had "deceived the police" and committed a "serious breach of trust" implicit claims helium politicised serving officers during a code successful West Yorkshire.

Sir Keir Starmer promoted the Sheffield MP to shadiness Northern Ireland caput successful 2020 earlier moving her to shadiness transport caput successful 2021.

In this little she has been an outspoken professional of the wide sacking of 800 workers by P&O Ferries successful 2022.

In October, portion transport secretary, she accused P&O of being a "rogue operator" and called for a boycott of its services.

The comments caused the firm's Dubai-based proprietor to reappraisal a planned £1bn UK larboard investment - thing that was re-confirmed aft ministers held urgent talks with the company.

But she was publically rebuked by Sir Keir who said her opinions were "not the presumption of the government".

With connections to erstwhile Downing Street main of unit Sue Gray, determination has been speculation her furniture relation could beryllium nether menace successful a aboriginal reshuffle.

Ms Gray's son, Labour MP Liam Conlon, is Ms Haigh's parliamentary backstage caput and acts arsenic her "eyes and ears" successful parliament, portion different of her erstwhile employees besides worked for the erstwhile main of unit earlier she was sacked aft losing a powerfulness conflict wrong Number 10.

As transport secretary, Ms Haigh was 1 of a fistful of furniture ministers who complained to the Treasury astir impending cuts successful the budget.

She is considered to beryllium 1 of the much left-wing members of the furniture and has vowed to "rip up the roots of Thatcherism" with her plans for obstruction and autobus reform.

In 2015, Ms Haigh was 1 of a fig of Labour MPs to nominate Mr Corbyn for person - a determination she aboriginal said she regretted.