Widow of Carl Sargeant wins go-ahead for High Court challenge over inquiry into his sacking

Bernie Sargeant has won a legal challenge for a judicial review into an inquiry about the sacking of Welsh Government Minister Carl Sargeant AM.

#Breaking Bernie Sargeant, the widow of former Welsh Government minister Carl Sargeant – who was found dead while facing sexual misconduct allegations – has won the go-ahead for a High Court challenge over the legality of an inquiry into his sacking

— Press Association (@PA) November 13, 2018

Mr Justice Supperstone heard the argument on Mrs Sargeant’s behalf today, it follows an earlier rejection of her case by another judge.

First minister Carwyn Jones announced an independent inquiry into how he handled the sacking of Carl Sargeant from the Welsh government following unspecified allegations about his conduct.

The decision to “bar the family’s lawyers from being able to question witnesses”, another “to allow the independent investigator to bar the family from hearings”, and also a decision to “prevent oral evidence from being heard in public” is being challenged.

In a comment published in the PA report Mrs Sargeant said: “We have a right to be able to hear and challenge the evidence.

“Please believe me, we are not trying to be obstructive, we just want to get to the truth and feel that we have a great deal to offer the inquiry. We don’t want to be excluded.”

She said: “All I want is to understand and process why my husband is no longer here. This whole thing just adds agony to heartbreak, but I owe it to Carl to get the full picture.”

A spokesman for the first minister is quoted as saying: “This is not, and was never intended to be, a public inquiry. Nor is it an investigation into the tragic death of Carl Sargeant.”