Former MP guilty over hotel bar row

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Helen Clark, who represented Peterborough between 1997 and 2005, was convicted after a two-day trial at Peterborough Magistrates' Court.

Clark, who had denied any offence, was found not guilty of being drunk and disorderly.

Prosecutors alleged that Clark, a 54-year-old former English teacher, lost her temper after bar staff refused to serve her more alcohol in the Great Northern Hotel in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, during the afternoon of Sunday June 15, 2008.

The court heard that Clark, her husband Alan and a friend had been drinking from around midday to around 5pm while discussing politics.

Clark told the court that she had downed "in the order of" a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. But she denied being drunk and denied calling a barmaid "Portuguese b*tch".

Part of the episode was filmed on a barmaid's mobile phone - and footage was shown in court. In the film, Clark was seen holding her head in her hands and screaming and shouting. The court was told the mobile phone footage later appeared on the internet site YouTube.

District Judge Nicholas Leigh-Smith said prosecutors had not proved Clark was drunk and disorderly but had proved she was guilty of using threatening words and behaviour.

Judge Leigh-Smith said Clark had had a "preoccupation with self and self-image".

He added: "I am satisfied the behaviour on the whole was threatening and abusive. It was certainly disorderly. Mrs Clark was clearly out of control."