Shropshire Star

Police re-examining allegation Labour MP assaulted assistant

Carolyn Harris has been accused of assault by her assistant Jenny Lee Clarke, after the Swansea East MP outed her as being gay.

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Carolyn Harris

An allegation that a Labour MP assaulted her senior aide is being investigated by police.

Carolyn Harris, shadow minister for women and equalities, was accused of pulling her assistant’s hair so hard clumps of it were torn from her head.

The allegation is now being re-examined by officers after former aide Jenny Lee Clarke submitted a complaint about how the initial investigation was handled two years ago.

South Wales Police decided back in 2016 not to take the allegation of assault any further following their inquiries.

Jenny Lee Clarke trial
Jenny Lee Clarke claimed she was abused by the MP after confiding in her that she was gay 

Ms Clarke, 42, said she believes her allegation was dropped by police because of Mrs Harris’ position as an MP and deputy Welsh Labour leader.

She added: “If it wasn’t for her position, I would have had justice by now.

“I’ve been treated differently because I’m a layman and she’s an MP.

“I just wanted the same treatment as everyone else when they have reported a crime.”

Ms Clarke said she had not been offered any support from the Labour Party, and emails she had sent to General Secretary Jennie Formby had not been replied to.

Details of the alleged office attack were revealed during a Crown Court trial in July, where Ms Clarke was cleared of forging the MP’s signature to give herself a pay rise.

Carolyn Harris
Mrs Harris after winning the Swansea East seat last year (Ben Birchall/PA)

Giving evidence, Ms Clarke told the court she had been abused by Mrs Harris, after the Swansea East MP outed her as a lesbian to colleagues at their constituency office.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Mrs Harris on one occasion “violently” shook her aide so hard she tore clumps of hair out.

Ms Clarke also alleged that the MP referred to her shoes as “dyke boots”.

The allegations date back to a year before Mrs Harris was elected, when both she and Ms Clarke worked for former MP Sian James.

Mrs Harris denied the assault allegation and said she had no memory of making the homophobic remark, but added if she had it would have been “office banter”.

A spokeswoman for South Wales Police said: “South Wales Police has received a complaint regarding an allegation of assault, which was made in 2016.

“That complaint is currently being investigated. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”

Carolyn Harris has been approached for comment.

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