Andrew Motion, the poet laureate, last night spoke of being "delighted but not surprised" after being cleared of sexually harassing a postgraduate student he teaches on a creative writing course.

Professor Motion had been investigated by the University of East Anglia after Laura Fish, the author of a critically acclaimed novel, made the allegations to the university nearly two months ago. The poet responded by claiming that the 37-year-old single mother, whom he has not denied kissing and with whom he had exchanged personal emails, had been harassing him.

But, after the six-week internal inquiry, the university authorities last week decided not to censure Ms Fish over Prof Motion's counter-claims of harassment and slander.

Ms Fish, who is believed to have been accepted on the one-year course because the poet was so impressed with her novel, Flight of Black Swans, is understood to have viewed the inquiry as a "whitewash", however, and has now lodged a separate complaint accusing her tutor of jeopardising her career.

The allegation relates to a letter Prof Motion sent to the Scottish poet Douglas Dunn, after he wrote a character reference in support of Ms Fish which was studied by the inquiry's panel. In the letter, Prof Motion, who has been married twice and has three children, claimed: "You would not say she was a fine and upstanding person if you knew of her actions at UEA."

Last night, the university's director of communications, Alan Preece, said the new complaint had been received and would be considered. But he added: "We will also be asking for an explanation as to how a personal and confidential complaint has been made public through the pages of a national newspaper."

Prof Motion, whose wife, the writer and critic Jan Dalley, has claimed that Ms Fish repeatedly telephoned the family home, said: "It's complete rubbish that I'm jeopardising her career and, obviously, I completely deny these latest allegations.

"I'm relieved about the other claim but not surprised because I'd done nothing wrong. I want nothing more than to put this in the past."

Ms Fish, who is working on a book about harassment, was not available for comment.