The wife of Lord Archer confronted her personal assistant after learning she was preparing to "drop a bombshell" on the disgraced peer's court case, an employment tribunal has heard.

Lady Archer, 57, of Grantchester, near Cambridge, said she believed Jane Williams was discussing selling her story to the newspapers in return for cash.

Jane had been advised... to drop a bombshell on the trial and various papers would pay her a lot of money

Lady Archer

Ms Williams, 49, who lives near Saffron Walden, Essex, is claiming unfair dismissal.

Earlier on Tuesday, Lady Archer told the tribunal she had sacked Ms Williams for refusing to accept a part-time job or sign a confidentiality agreement.

Continuing her evidence later, Lady Archer said a woman, referred to only as Mrs X, told her Ms Williams had been in discussions with a journalist about how to make money out of Lord Archer's trial.

She said: "Jane had been advised that the best method was to wait until the trial started, make some kind of statement to police, drop a bombshell on the trial and various papers would pay her a lot of money for her story."

Lady Archer, who said Mrs X was a friend of Ms Williams, held a meeting with her PA to put the allegations that she had been trying to sell a story about Lord Archer.

Ms Williams denied the allegations.

Lord Archer's trial at the Old Bailey ended on 19 July last year. He was jailed for four years after being convicted of perjury.

Police statement

The tribunal also heard Ms Williams had given police information related to perjury allegations against Lord Archer.

She made a statement to police on May 30 last year.

Her statement related to a man named only as Mr X and concerned a statement he had made.

Lady Archer said Ms Williams had described Mr X as being "a little unreliable" and "sometimes a bit of a Walter Mitty character".

Jane Williams worked for the Archers from 1988 - 2001

She said that, on the advice of a barrister representing her husband, she had required Ms Williams to remain at home during the course of the trial.

It was thought that Ms Williams might be a prosecution witness. "I was certainly rather shaken up by what had occurred and I had a lot to cope with. I was surprised and upset," said Lady Archer.

"I had to observe very, very strong advice I had been given that she should not return to The Old Vicarage for the duration of my husband's trial."

'Rude' e-mails

Relations between the two women broke down after Lady Archer said she found Ms Williams had written e-mails containing "rude stuff" about her.

Lady Archer had also wanted Ms Williams, who had worked for her for 13 years until being fired in 2001, to accept a part-time job.

Details of Ms Williams' complaint have not yet been given in detail in public - although members of the three-strong tribunal have seen written papers.

The hearing, which began on Monday in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, is expected to end on Wednesday.