PIPPA Harbour’s 27 years of deceit came to an end yesterday when she was found guilty of uttering false documents.

The nine Jurats unanimously reached the decision after nearly two hours of deliberation.

As the guilty verdict for both counts was read out, Miss Harbour (pictured) looked visibly shocked.

This came at the end of a 10-day trial in which the defendant had denied the offences.

She was originally charged with four counts, two of which were that she dishonestly obtained employment by deceiving her employers.

But Judge Russell Finch found her not guilty of these earlier in the trial.

She was arrested in February last year after her employer, Close Bank, discovered that her University of Reading English degree, which she claimed to have acquired in 1982, and her MBA from the London Business School were forgeries.

She was immediately suspended. She took the bank to an unfair dismissal hearing, which was settled out of court.

Close reported her to the Jersey Financial Services Commission, as she worked between the two islands, who in turn reported her to Guernsey Police.

When arrested and interviewed she told the police that she had gained the qualifications, but in a different name.

She had been given this name by her father to protect her real identity. She refused to give this name to the police or even her lawyer.

The first count of deception related to Kleinwort Benson, who employed her in 2004.

Advocate Chris Dunford, prosecuting, highlighted the various differing dates of birth in forms that Harbour had filled out over the years.

These included passports, CVs at recruitment agencies and even a personal questionnaire for the GFSC. In these her year of birth ranged from 1954 to 1957, 1959 and 1960. The 22 November was always used as the date.

Harbour had claimed that she had not filled out these forms, or they were errors made by another party.

Advocate Peter Ferbrache, defending, had called the prosecution case was a shambles.

Several witnesses had supported her credibility as a high-flying banker.

Harbour was bailed to allow for a probation report.

She will reappear for sentencing on 24 July.

• ‘Uttering’ in the sense of a legal charge is the use or attempt to cause the use of a document known to be false.