An MP has said she is glad the ordeal is over after a journalist was convicted of going through dozens of private text and emails on her stolen phone.

Nick Parker, 53, was given a suspended sentence at the Old Bailey today after handling the stolen phone of Mitcham and Morden MP Siobhain McDonagh.

He was sentenced to three months imprisonment suspended for 12 months.

Mr Parker was cleared of aiding and abetting Surrey Police officer Alan Tierney to commit misconduct in public office.

Ms McDonagh was a whip in Gordon Brown's government at the time, and said she was concerned the private phone numbers of ‘high profile people’ would be used unlawfully.

Speaking to the Wimbledon Guardian after the conviction today, she said: "I am glad it is over.

"I would not want anyone to have their private messages accessed in such a way.

"It seems amazing this happens."

She said her handbag was taken from outside Councillor Mark Allison’s home in Colliers Wood in October 2010. She had visited him to check out his new home extension and left her car locked outside.

When she returned, the window had been broken and her bag was missing.

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Parker holed up in the Petersham hotel to read texts on the MP's phone

She said: "Your bag gets stolen with your phone in it then months later police say reams of private texts have been uploaded and categorised on people’s email.

"All of it was none of anyone’s business apart from me or whoever I was sending messages to."

Ms McDonagh said there was nothing exciting or salacious on the phone, just texts arranging to meet friends for coffee or private exchanges with members of the family.

She said it was unbelievable her private messages could end up in the hands of an international media organisation, and has since tightened up security by setting up a password for her current phone.

"I won’t be leaving my handbag in the back of my car again," she added.

Mr Parker, a reporter at The Sun who lives in Twickenham, denied three counts of aiding and abetting misconduct in public office, handling stolen goods and securing unauthorised access to computer material in relation to the phone.

According to reports, there were several messages about the Miliband brothers as they battled for leadership of the Labour party including one that said: 'I will kill myself if Ed wins'.

Mr Parker said he had no idea the phone had been stolen and was investigating allegations of criminality in the wake of the MP expenses scandal.