Tory MP Jamie Wallis to go on trial over late-night crash

Conservative MP Jamie Wallis faces trial after being involved in a car crash last year.

Wallis, who has represented Bridgend since 2019, pleaded not guilty in May to four traffic offences including failing to stop, failing to report a road traffic collision, driving without due care and attention and leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position.

The charges relate to a late-night collision in which a Mercedes hit a lamppost on Church Road in Llanblethian, South Wales.

He was arrested the next day on suspicion of “driving whilst unfit”.

The 38-year-old from Cowbridge will appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Monday, with the trial expected to last up to two days.

In March, Wallis became the first MP in the UK to come out as transgender.

His statement revealed he had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria having “felt this way since I was a very young child” and that he wants to transition to be a woman.

He also said he had been raped and blackmailed, and was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The message was posted on Twitter shortly before 3am on March 30, after a gathering for Tory MPs at which Mr Johnson reportedly made a joke about trans issues.

Following the post, the now outgoing Prime Minister praised him for his bravery, and politicians from across the political spectrum publicly expressed their support for the MP.

Wallis studied chemistry at Oxford University and was a director of a data recovery firm before entering politics and winning his seat in December 2019, managing to oust Labour’s Madeleine Moon, who had held the constituency for 14 years.