Sexual assault claim against senior Plaid Cymru staff member

An allegation of intersexual battle has been made against a elder subordinate of unit successful Plaid Cymru.

BBC Wales has been told the assertion is astatine the bosom of an probe conducted by an outer institution into misconduct successful the party.

A erstwhile subordinate of unit said the incidental happened to them astir 4 years agone erstwhile they worked for the party.

Plaid Cymru has not commented connected the allegations.

Meanwhile, different idiosyncratic has said the aforesaid elder subordinate of unit made them consciousness uncomfortable connected respective occasions.

In a erstwhile statement, the party's seat Marc Jones, said: "While astatine this constituent we people cannot stock immoderate accusation connected immoderate idiosyncratic cases oregon allegations, I privation to guarantee each Plaid Cymru members that I instrumentality each these matters and processes precise seriously."

BBC Wales has not been capable to interaction the elder unit subordinate involved.

The claims are abstracted to allegations made against Plaid Senedd person Rhys ab Owen.

The erstwhile subordinate of unit told BBC Wales the alleged incidental had near them feeling "helpless".

"It felt similar a spot I should beryllium safe, but I was ever connected edge, a small similar a kid successful furniture with nightmares."

"There was a unusual duality betwixt feeling helpless and wanting to beryllium included."

The erstwhile subordinate of unit said initially they did not privation to "rock the boat" and archer others what happened, "because it was a blessed household but with a secret".

They said they had nary thought however oregon to whom they would marque a complaint.

BBC Wales has besides heard claims astir the Plaid Cymru elder worker from a 2nd individual.

They said the elder subordinate of unit made them consciousness uncomfortable connected respective occasions and had sent flirtatious messages.

The idiosyncratic said they did not archer anybody astir what happened due to the fact that they were frightened of this idiosyncratic and the imaginable consequences for themselves.

"I felt astatine the clip that it would not person been worthy the effort to marque a ceremonial ailment against specified a almighty fig successful the party, particularly fixed that I would not person trusted the enactment of the enactment to woody with this decently and to person my champion interests astatine heart.

"Many Plaid activists, unit and politicians consciousness fortunate to beryllium a portion of this humanities lineage that stretches backmost precise acold and don't privation to beryllium liable for damaging a enactment that has played specified a cardinal relation successful shaping modern Wales.

"Of course, those speaking retired are not the ones who harm the party, but alternatively it's intelligibly the perpetrators and enablers that are the existent problem."

Plaid Cymru declined to remark connected the concerns raised, and referred to a connection issued erstwhile BBC Wales reported that an outer quality resources institution had been appointed by the enactment to look into allegations of misconduct.

In the statement, enactment seat Marc Jones said: "While astatine this constituent we people cannot stock immoderate accusation connected immoderate idiosyncratic cases oregon allegations, I privation to guarantee each Plaid Cymru members that I instrumentality each these matters and processes precise seriously.

"We are offering enactment to each staff, arsenic we prioritise their wellbeing.

"We are carrying retired a survey of unit experiences that volition pass aboriginal determination making.

"Consistent with not prejudicing the result of immoderate ongoing investigation, we volition beryllium unfastened arsenic we tin arsenic we proceed to guarantee that each our interior processes are followed diligently astatine each times."

The allegations person been made pursuing claims of a toxic civilization successful the enactment and the suspension of Rhys ab Owen, MS for southbound Wales central, from his party's group.

The suspension followed what is understood to beryllium a superior allegation astir his conduct, and is pending an probe by the Welsh Parliament's Standards Commissioner.

BBC Wales has spoken to respective sources who said determination was important unease wrong the enactment astir the mode allegations person been dealt with, and said concerns were raised astir Rhys ab Owen's behaviour past year.

One root spoke of an "awful culture" successful the enactment and a "lack of leadership".

Speaking astatine the clip of Mr ab Owen's suspension, a spokesperson for the Plaid Cymru radical successful the Senedd said: "Rhys ab Owen MS, Plaid Cymru subordinate of the Senedd for southbound Wales central, and the Plaid Cymru radical successful the Senedd person mutually agreed to his impermanent suspension from the Plaid Cymru group.

"This is simply a neutral act, without prejudice, pending the decision of an probe by the Senedd standards commissioner into an alleged breach of the codification of behaviour for members of the Senedd. No further remark volition beryllium issued."

BBC Wales had approached Mr ab Owen for remark astatine the clip of the suspension, but did not person a response.