The day a Welsh MP’s life fell apart

In the first extract from his memoir Into The Abyss, former Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards writes about the incident that led to him accepting a caution for assaulting his wife.

On the 20th of May, 2020 my life changed forever. At that stage the country had been in lockdown for two months. Parliament was digital, meaning that my study in my home in Ammanford had replaced Westminster as my place of work.

It was far from ideal with three children in the house, especially as two were very young. It was difficult for everyone, the kids as they had to be quiet when I was making Parliamentary contributions, media interviews and meetings on zoom.

I had an early interview planned for Radio Cymru and so I decided to go for an early run along the Amman Valley cycle path at around half six. Lili would normally get up at around 5am so I was in my jogging kit ready to go.

I couldn’t wait for my daily exercise. I needed to escape the house, I was feeling completely overwhelmed.

I felt better after my three mile run, however when I returned to the house the kids were fighting and I lost it, sending Llew to another room and giving my eldest Abi a row.

It wasn’t fair on them at all. I was so consumed with my own difficulties that I lacked compassion for the children. It breaks my heart that my last words to Abi were made in anger.

At that stage Emma, my wife, entered the kitchen shouting. The tensions that had been brewing in our marriage for years were magnified during the lockdown period.

I reacted and grabbed her physically before leaving her go. She then moved towards me, and I then grabbed her again to restrain her and pinned her to the table.

I had lost complete control of my emotions. I offer no defence for my response. It was all over in no time. There were no injuries of any sort, I had managed to evade a full swing of the arm from Emma.

It was the first time in our marriage that there had been a physical altercation.

Horrified

Emma was upset and I was horrified that I had physically grabbed her. I kept saying sorry over and over. Emma phoned the police but put down the phone before giving any details. We both went to separate rooms to calm down. Some 30 minutes later there was a knock on the door.

It was a squad of armed policemen; I can only presume that Emma’s call had been triangulated to the home of the MP which then meant a full armed response. I let the officers enter the property immediately.

The police quickly understood that there wasn’t an external attack on the property and that there had been an incident in the home. They spoke to Emma, and I was arrested and taken to the local police station.

I was processed and I asked to make a phone call. I phoned Ben O’Keefe, the Chief of Staff of the Parliamentary team so that the party was fully aware of what was happening.

The only thing I was thinking was that the media might soon start reporting on events and I wanted my colleagues to be prepared.

As it happened, it was the party that decided to brief the media some days afterwards much to the astonishment of Dyfed Powys Police, who couldn’t believe what Plaid Cymru were doing.

I was then locked in a cell. I was in complete turmoil about the events of the day, worried about Emma and the children.

Pressure

I knew deep in my heart that I would not recover politically from what had just occurred and during those long hours in the cell a weight lifted from my body. If I was never going to contest another election, then all the pressure and expectation of winning the Carmarthen seat which had dominated my life since I started working for Plaid Cymru in 1999 would no longer be my burden.

I spoke to my solicitor, my old University friend Hywel Davies, who explained the process to me and that I would soon be interviewed. He advised me in the event of Emma not wishing to press charges to answer ‘no comment’ to all questions.

He said that however if I was to choose that course of action the police could potentially interview the children. I explained that I would find it difficult to refuse to answer questions as I felt my role as an elected representative meant that I needed to be completely honest about the events of the day, and that I had to protect the children from being put through further trauma.

When the interview commenced a statement was read out on behalf of Emma and she said she had no wish to pursue matters. I then asked the detectives if I could make my own statement before they commenced their questioning. I made a full statement and answered their questions. It was my own testimony that would lead to the issuing of a caution.

Hywel made the case to the Custody Sergeant that they should contact the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) so that matters could be finalised that evening by the issuing of a caution as I admitted that I had committed an assault and that Emma didn’t want to pursue matters.

High profile 

However, I suspect my high profile meant that the prosecuting authorities wanted to examine the matter fully and see if they could build a case against me. I was therefore bailed and prohibited from entering the family home until the CPS had come to a determination.

Before leaving the station, I asked would there be any prohibition on me seeing the children during the bail period and they confirmed that there would be none. I was allowed to collect some clothes and work equipment, and I drove to my sister’s home.

My recollection of the next few days is a bit hazy. My mind was in overdrive. I was not allowed to contact Emma. There was no prohibition on seeing the children, but Emma was to decide that my interaction with them was to be limited.

During all the weeks of bail, Emma would only allow me to see Llywelyn and Lili for two hours a week, and only under the supervision of her Auntie. The pain on their little faces continues to haunt me.

There were obviously frantic discussions with party staff, other elected members and Dai [a constituency worker]. I was told by the party that they were going to make a statement to the media about my arrest and that they would be withdrawing the whip.

Once news broke matters erupted. Journalists descended on the family home and camped outside yet Plaid Cymru had made no provision to protect my young family who felt under siege.

When I eventually got to speak to Emma at the end of the CPS investigation, she wanted to move immediately from Ammanford because of those days of media intrusion they had suffered.

I was receiving messages from all quarters, I stupidly took phone calls from those who I thought were checking up on my wellbeing, but it now transpires used what I told them against me.

I was obviously worried that my staff would face a barrage of nasty emails. We put in protocols to protect Wendy my office manager as she acted as gatekeeper. To my knowledge, I only received two messages from constituents that were horrid in nature. The overwhelming response was sympathy and support.

Limbo

I then faced weeks of limbo waiting for the CPS to conclude their investigation. I was fearing the worst: that I would face a prosecution, that the Crown would want to make an example of me.

I had several discussions with my solicitor, and I told him I lacked the funds to defend myself in any court proceedings. Following the election I had bought a new car for the family and a completely new bathroom for the home which had cleaned out my accounts.

I only had £3,000 in funds available to me. At the time of making those major financial decisions, I wasn’t particularly worried, as the Tory landslide meant it was likely the parliament would go long.

I fell into a deep depression. I was suicidal and required medical intervention in the shape of antidepressants. I was to remain on medication for over a year. Everything I had worked for my whole adult life was collapsing under my feet. I was desperate to see my children.

My old cricket teammate from Capel Hendre, Anthony Rees, invited me over for a coffee at his home.

By this stage mentally I had reached crisis point, I was actively thinking of ways to end it all. We talked for hours on his patio, at a distance of two metres, about my situation and reminiscing about old times.

Anthony, following the tragic death of Ammanford Town footballer Jack Lewis, had helped set up a foundation in his name to specialise in mental health support. He organised for me to speak to one of the charity’s counsellors and invited me to join the King’s Head Thursday night club. It was the start of my long road to recovery.

When you are in the depths sometimes it only takes one small act to change the trajectory of a spiral. I can’t thank him enough and the rest of the community as they all placed a collective arm around me.

A prosecution was in political and personal terms disastrous. In political terms, a guilty plea or verdict would immediately create the conditions for a recall petition and a likely by-election. I was facing the prospect of being out of work with huge mortgage debts and nothing in reserve.

It took around two months for the CPS to come to a decision.

Common assault

One afternoon my solicitor informed me that I was to attend Ammanford Police Station where I would be issued with a caution for common assault.

I was relieved as I had received assurances from the party that a caution as the final sanction would enable me to make a political recovery.

I just wanted to repair matters at this stage – my marriage and my political career- so that I could continue to provide for the family.

Into The Abyss by Jonathan Edwards is published by Cambria Books at £18.