The new transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, returned to the Commons for a second stint as an MP in July this year after standing down in 2018.
She spent more than three years as London’s deputy mayor for transport under Sadiq Khan and was also deputy head of Transport for London.
News of Haigh’s conviction emerged on Thursday evening, in reports by the Times and Sky News.
Haigh issued a statement giving her version of the 2013 incident, which happened when she was working as a public policy manager for insurance company Aviva.
She said she had reported a “terrifying” mugging in London to police. She said she had told police the phone was one of a number of items she believed had been stolen, and was issued with a new work phone.
Some time later, she added, she had discovered the handset was still in her house and she switched it on, which “triggered police attention” leading to her being called in for questioning.
“My solicitor advised me not to comment during that interview and I regret following that advice,” she said. The matter was sent to magistrates.
Haigh said she pleaded guilty to making a false report to police at a magistrates’ court, six months before becoming an MP in the 2015 general election, and received a discharge – the “lowest possible outcome”.
She added: “Under the advice of my solicitor I pleaded guilty – despite the fact this was a genuine mistake from which I did not make any gain.”
But The Times claims this row relates to more than one mobile phone being stolen or going missing.
The BBC understands Haigh was unaware of any investigation by her former employer, Aviva, involving more than one mobile phone, as reported by the newspaper.
Aviva is not commenting on the story.
