Ex-aide to MP on trial for forgery and fraud
THE former office manager of a Swansea MP is to stand trial accused of forgery and fraud. The trial of Jenny Lee Clarke will take place out of the city after a successful application by the defence.
Clarke ran the office of Swansea East Labour MP Carolyn Harris until January 2016, and a judge at Swansea Crown Court ruled her trial should take place in Cardiff to avoid any perception that members of the jury could be swayed by outside factors.
Clarke, 31, of Heol Dewi Sant, Penllergaer, is accused of forgery and fraud in relation to documents submitted to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, the organisation which sets and regulates MPs’ salaries, pensions and expenses.
Not guilty pleas to both charges were entered during yesterday’s hearing.
Stephen Donnelly, for Clarke, applied to the court to have his client’s trial heard outside Swansea.
The barrister said: “The complainant is, in effect, the sitting Member of Parliament for this constituency.
“In my submission, it cannot be right, and it does not look right, when there is the potential to have 12 jurors who may have voted for Carolyn Harris and may have some sympathy for her evidence, regardless of any other contact they may have had.”
Jim Davies, for the prosecution, did not oppose the application and said moving the trial to another city such as Cardiff or Newport would overcome any concerns.
Judge Keith Thomas said that, with the majority of potential jurors for the case likely to be drawn from the Swansea area, he was mindful of the perception an “independent bystander” might have, and granted the application to move the trial to Cardiff.
A hearing will be held at Cardiff Crown Court on January 18 to set a date for the trial, which is likely to take place in June.