Attorney General's former housekeeper guilty of fraud

Loloahi Tapui, former housekeeper of Attorney General Baroness Scotland, has been convicted of fraud at Southwark Crown Court.

The affair was extremely embarrassing for the Attorney General, who was fined £5,000 for employing the illegal immigrant last year.

Baroness Scotland was fined under a system she herself steered through the Lords as part of the Immigration, Nationality and Asylum Act 2006.

Following an investigation, the UK Border Agency said it was satisfied that Baroness Scotland did not knowingly employ an illegal immigrant.

The Tongan was convicted of fraud by false representation, possession of a false identity document and overstaying her leave to remain.

Tapui claimed that Baroness Scotland had never asked to see her passport or letter from the Home Office proving her right to remain before employing her.

The Attorney General told the court that she had seen the documents, including the passport with its forged visa stamp, but had not taken copies.

Tapui, who admitted selling her story to a national tabloid for £95,000, will be sentenced early next month.

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