Councillor is found not guilty of two sexual offence charges
A COUNCILLOR has been cleared of two sexual offence allegations following a trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.
Rhondda Cynon Taf councillor William Haydn Rees Jones, 67, denied two counts of sexual assault against two different women.
Last Friday he walked out of court a free man after the jury reached a not-guilty verdict.
Sighs of relief were heard from Jones’ supporters in the public gallery when the verdict was reached.
When the case was opened the court heard how the councillor was alleged to have “put his hands all over” a woman in one incident, which was alleged to have taken place in Treorchy in March 2015.
In the second incident in January this year, Mr Jones was accused of using an electric body massager on a woman’s breasts and groin area.
He told the court the incident was not sexual and was instead to help with a chest infection.
He told the court: “I said to [the victim] that I use a massager on my mother for circulation and when she has a bad chest. It really works well.”
Jones said he then used the electric body massager on the alleged victim’s shoulders and legs over her clothing.
When asked by defence barrister Susan Ferrier if he sexually assaulted either of the women, Jones, replied: “No I did not.”
The jury found Mr Jones not guilty of both counts.