Carl Sargeant allegations ‘could not be ignored’, First Minister tells inquest

Sexual misconduct allegations made against a politician who later hanged himself “could not be ignored”, Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones has told an inquest.

Mr Jones was called to give evidence on the third day of the inquest into the death of Welsh Assembly Member Carl Sargeant, who he sacked following the surfacing of rumours about his behaviour.

Mr Sargeant, 49, was found dead at the family home in Connah’s Quay, North Wales, by his wife Bernadette on November 7 last year, four days after he was sacked from his role as cabinet secretary for communities and children by the First Minister.

The father-of-two was also suspended from the Labour Party over allegations of “unwanted attention, inappropriate touching or groping”.

But while rumours in political circles about his behaviour were surfacing, it was dismissed as “tittle tattle” until a formal written complaint was made by a woman, known only as Miss A.

It was after that, on November 1 last year, the First Minister decided Mr Sargeant could not serve in his cabinet and he decided to sack him in a forthcoming government re-shuffle two days later.

Mr Sargeant’s wife and son, Jack, sat alongside lawyers listening as Mr Jones began his evidence shortly before the lunchtime adjournment at the hearing at Ruthin County Hall.

The inquest heard a decision to remove Mr Sargeant from government because of the allegations came at the same time as the First Minister planned a cabinet re-shuffle.

Mr Jones said: “During the course of discussions about having a general re-shuffle, the allegations came forward regarding Carl and they could not be ignored as part of a re-shuffle.

“At that stage, I found myself in a position where during the course of discussions of what was going to be a general re-shuffle I then had a written complaint regarding conduct of one minister.

“There was no way of divorcing one from the other.”

The inquest has heard that at least three women had spoken of inappropriate conduct by Mr Sargeant, between 2015 and 2016.

An anonymous letter had also been sent to the First Minister in 2016 claiming Mr Sargeant was “not fit to be around women”.

Neither the identity of the women involved nor the exact nature of the alleged misconduct has been revealed during the inquest.

None of the allegations were put to Mr Sargeant directly before he was sacked and he shook his head and denied them in the meeting with the First Minister on November 3 last year, the hearing was told. Mr Sargeant was also not told exactly what he was being accused of.

The First Minister was due to continue giving evidence.