Councillor’s wife is cleared

A Failsworth Tory councillor’s wife has been cleared by police of computer misuse, but it is understood her husband remains on bail.

Failsworth West Councillor Ian Barker (32) and his wife Jennifer (31), formerly a part-time researcher for the Conservatives, were arrested and bailed in August.

Police were called in after a complaint to Oldham Council chief executive Charlie Parker about inappropriate e-mails which purported to be in someone else’s name. Mrs Barker, who was moved from her part-time researcher’s post to another job with the council, was cleared when the couple, of Douglas Street, Failsworth, answered bail on Sunday. Her husband is thought to have been re-bailed to February 8.