Jamie Wallis: MP found guilty of driving offences

An MP has been found guilty of failing to stop and report an accident after crashing his car in the early hours of 28 November last year.

Bridgend's Conservative MP, Jamie Wallis was also found guilty of leaving his car in a dangerous position, but cleared of driving without due care and attention.

He was fined £2,500 and disqualified from driving for six months.

District Judge Tan Ikram said he "didn't find the defendant credible".

He added that the case had not been proven that the MP was driving without due care and attention and dismissed that one charge against Wallis.

Convicting him of the other charges, Judge Ikram said: "When I watched him give evidence it seemed to me he [was] fitting his own behaviour around the behaviour of PTSD, and his actions on that night does not suggest he was overwhelmed and acting out of fear that night."

"I am going to be upfront, I didn't find the defendant credible in the evidence he gave".

Wallis had denied the traffic offences, which took place in Llanblethian, Vale of Glamorgan in the early hours of the morning.

He also told the court he had been raped a month before the crash and feared he would be "raped, killed or kidnapped" following the crash.

The MP said his car hit a lamppost to avoid a cat.

The Conservative MP, who was elected in 2019, became the first MP to come out as transgender in March. He identifies as he/him.

He told the court he had been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after being raped.

Judge Ikram added that having PTSD was not a defence.

He said the prosecution had proved that Wallis was able to make decisions that night, but he made bad decisions.

"I am sure he was not prevented through PTSD to giving details or particulars and report the accident soon after, he made a decision he didn't want to be there, and made a decision to ring his father.

"Through all of that period he could have rang 999 or 101, he didn't.

"I am sure he didn't through a conscious choice, not through being overwhelmed or acting irrationally."

On Monday, Cardiff Magistrates' Court heard how witnesses said Wallis left the scene after crashing his Mercedes into a lamppost on 28 November.

He was wearing a black leather mini-skirt and high heels and told the court he feared he was going to be attacked.

Residents Adrian Watson and Natalie Webb were at a birthday party, when they heard a "very loud bang, significantly louder than a domestic firework" on the street at about 01:00 GMT.

Mr Watson said he looked inside the car and saw "a white male wearing a white long-sleeve top which was tight to the body, a black leather PVC mini-skirt, tights, dark shoes with a high heel and a pearl necklace".

When he asked Wallis if he was okay, he was told: "I'm sorting it. I'm sorting it."

He said he followed Wallis and saw him make two phone calls, during one he claimed he was being "accosted".

The MP was then picked up by his father in a Land Rover Discovery.

In a prepared statement to police, the MP said he left the scene because he was in "pain and shock" after the crash, and fled because he feared he would be attacked.

"I noticed a group of people approaching and felt anxious," he said.

The prosecution challenged Wallis saying there was no cat, and that he was driving without due care and attention.

Ms Hughes said: "You hit it with such force that the pole snapped.

"The reason you hit the pole, isn't because there was a cat, you were driving without due care and attention and resulted in you losing control and driving into the wall and telegraph pole."

Wallis replied: "That's not true, there was a cat, I swerved to avoid it."

He was challenged on his failure to inform police of the accident.

He said he had taken medication after arriving home and had fallen asleep soon afterwards.

The prosecution said he had made numerous calls, and sent a number of texts between 01:32 GMT and 01:42 GMT that morning.

"I was still in a traumatised state.

"I was still concussed, still feeling the effects of what had happened," he said.

He was asked if he had reported the alleged rape in September, he said he had not but had arranged to talk to the police about it informally.

"I haven't made a formal complaint, the police have invited me to sit down and have an informal chat with them."

He said he did not tell his psychiatrist about the rape until 23 November, five days before the crash.

Wallis was arrested hours later at 07:21 GMT at his flat.

Sgt Gareth Handy told the court that he forced entry into the Wallis' family home address which was described as a "mansion" and "absolutely colossal", out of concern for the MP.

The police officer eventually found Wallis in one of the rooms and said he saw "Jamie had make-up on his face".

Police also found a "blonde wig" on a table in Wallis' flat, which was part of the property, the court heard.

PC Louis Hall found Wallis asleep and said: "He appeared to be wearing make-up, his eyelids were dark, his lips were red, his cheeks were bronzed, and he had red nail polish on his toes."

The black leather skirt and pearl necklace were found next to the bed, and were seized by police.

A spokesperson for the Conservative Party said it was right that Wallis had been punished after being found guilty of the offences, but they would not be taking any further action and will continue to provide welfare support.