Welsh Government cancels sexuality research contract awarded to sex offender
Martin Shipton
The Welsh Government has cancelled a research contract relating to sexuality and gender after Nation.Cymru revealed that the firm’s sole director had been jailed after admitting to three charges of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust.
James Mullen was imprisoned for eight months in 2013 after being caught writhing around on a classroom floor with a girl pupil aged 16 after a parent-teacher event. He had got a job as a history teacher at the £24,000-per-year Catholic boarding school straight after leaving university, and had only worked there for six months when he began to groom the pupil.
Their relationship was uncovered when another teacher saw them in a “passionate embrace” in the school’s music room at 10pm. She confronted Mullen after seeing the girl leaving the room in a “dishevelled state”.
He broke down and was arrested by police later that evening.
Text messages between them proved he knew the relationship was wrong, the prosecution told St Albans Crown Court in Hertfordshire. In one, the girl asked Mullen ‘Is this law breaking? How much trouble could we get into?’, to which he replied: ‘Unfortunately, with me you are classified as vulnerable because I am your teacher.’
As well as the jail sentence, Mullen was banned from teaching for life.
Conversion practices
By 2022 Mullen had been awarded a PhD in Ancient History. That year he set up a company called Laurel Research Consulting Ltd. Nine months later it successfully bid for a contract awarded by the Welsh Government.
The advertisement for the contract stated: “This research is seeking to understand more about the experiences of conversion practices in Wales. The term ‘conversion practices’ refers to any efforts to change, modify or suppress a person’s sexual orientation, gender, expression of sexual orientation and/or expression of gender, regardless of whether it takes place in a healthcare, religious or other setting.
“The research will understand who experiences conversion practices, the forms these practices take, by whom they are conducted, and the reasons why they are carried out; identify settings where conversion practices occur; provide insight into the impact of conversion practices; understand the support available; and provide evidence-informed actions, recommendations, and best practice.
In May 2023, when Jane Hutt was the Minister for Social Justice, Laurel was awarded the contract, despite appearing to have little or no relevant experience in the subject area. The Welsh Government’s Equality Report for 2023 states: “Laurel Research Consulting Ltd was commissioned by the Welsh Government to undertake research aimed at understanding more about the experiences of conversion practices among people aged 18+ in Wales. Evidence from this research will be used to inform future policy development, tailor an awareness campaign, and help design and improve support service provision in relation to conversion practices in Wales.”
‘Safeguarding’
Based on his Linked-In profile, Mr Mullen’s only relevant experience to researching Conversion Therapy appears to be contributing to a Westminster All Party Parliamentary Group “reviewing safeguarding policy”.
The Professional Conduct Panel that banned him from teaching stated in its judgement: “On July 23 2013 you were convicted at St Albans Crown Court of three offences of sexual activity with a female child between 13-17 years old; whilst in a position of trust; when you did not reasonably believe that the victim was over 18. This is contrary to section 16 (1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. You committed these offences between February 14 2013 and February 26 2013.
“A Sexual Offenders Notice and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order were imposed against you each for a duration of 10 years on July 23 2013. You were sentenced on August 23 2013 to imprisonment for a period of eight months concurrently for each offence.”
Sex offenders register
That means Mr Mullen would still have been on the sex offenders register at the time the Welsh Government commissioned him to carry out the research.
When we originally asked the Welsh Government how the contract came to be awarded to Laurel,, a spokesperson told us: “Whilst all standard procurement and due diligence processes were followed during the tendering of this research contract, we will be reviewing the information supplied in light of the details raised.”
The spokesperson added: “The contract value is £31,000. The research will be published in autumn 2024 in accordance with GSR [Government Social Research] publication protocol.”
However, in a new statement a Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The contract with Laurel Research Consulting has been terminated following a review.”
Asked whether the contract would be paid for, the spokesperson said: “We will not be providing any more information at this moment in time.”
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This story reminds me of the Chris Morris’s comedy Brass Eye the satirical news satire show from 20 years ago, the sketch “This is the one thing we didn’t want to happen.”
I wonder did the WG also have a hand in that as well?
Sensible – better late than never.
Shocking that something so bad needs to be exposed by Nation.Cymru, Those guilty of setting this up should fall on their sword, but then this is politics and it’s all about self preservation and promotion of politicians.
“ We will not be providing any more information at this moment in time.” But Welsh Government will have to explain this at some point. This was a grave failure of judgment. They can’t just clam up and cover it up.
Of course they can they are doing it all the time.
Jabba the Hutt has previous.
The skeletons are rattling just got find them.
What about the civil servant(s) who procured this contract any remedial action, further training to ensure it should not happen, it seems it happens all too often in public procurement, the issues around contracts for new Velindre reinforces that.
Unwillingness to disclose whether any payment was made is a sure sign that some if not all of the contract price was shelled out. Dimwits by the drove.
This is interesting. Clearly, with hindsight, the contract should not have been awarded. Also, while it cannot be possible or proportionate to try and anticipate every eventuality, given the sensitivity and subject matter of the issue, sufficient enquiries concerning the suitability of the researcher(s) should have been done. The first Welsh Government spokesperson’s (and later retracted) quote was that the research would still be published – so the implication is that the research has been completed. This lack of (initial) insight is troubling. Given the reported history of the researcher, the integrity of the research will be fatally flawed in… Read more »
If it hadn’t happened and been exposed by nation.cymru there would have been no reason for any MSM to publish anything!