Carolyn Harris MP 'was a sloppy manager', jury told

Jenny Lee Clarke denies carrying out the fraud in 2015

A woman who worked for the deputy leader of Welsh Labour has told a jury the MP had a "sloppy" approach to management.

Paulette Smith told Cardiff Crown Court the awarding of pay rises by Carolyn Harris was not done in an official way.

Defendant Jenny Lee Clarke, 42, denies illegally increasing her own pay by £2,000 and reducing her hours while working for the Swansea East MP.

Mrs Harris has insisted the defence's claims are not true.

Carolyn Harris insisted comments she made to Ms Clarke were "office banter"

Ms Clarke is accused of fraudulently submitting a form increasing her annual pay from £37,000 to £39,000 and decreasing her weekly hours from 40 to 37-and-a-half in August 2014.

The defendant insisted Mrs Harris told her to make the changes and sign the form to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority - the body responsible for payroll in Parliament - on her behalf.

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Ms Clarke, who was sacked by Mrs Harris in January 2016, has since alleged the MP was "homophobic" towards her before and after she was elected.

Jurors have heard claims that Mrs Harris called Ms Clarke a "dyke" and frequently made comments about her clothes and hairstyles.

Mrs Harris later defended the comments as "office banter".

The defendant has also alleged that Mrs Harris attacked her when they both worked for former Swansea East MP Sian James, in November 2014.

On Monday, defence witness Mrs Smith told the court she had observed the alleged incident.

"Jen was working on her computer, I was working on mine," she said.

"All of a sudden there was a blood-curdling scream from Jen.

"I turned round and I could see Carolyn Harris with her hands clawed on Jen's head.

"When she did eventually release her hands there were little tufts of Jen's hair in them."

Mrs Smith said she went with Ms Clarke to report the incident to South Wales Police in 2016, but no further action was taken due to the period of time that had lapsed.

Paulette Smith is a county councillor for the Clydach ward in Swansea

Clydach ward councillor Mrs Smith also said Mrs Harris's behaviour changed when she was elected in 2015 and described her as "domineering" and "manipulative".

Mrs Harris previously told the court that she carefully managed her budget and made a number of checks before offering pay rises to members of staff.

Ms Clarke, of Penllergaer, Swansea, denies fraud and forgery.

The trial continues.