A former Member of Parliament is currently on trial at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court, facing accusations of harassing her ex-wife. Katie Wallis, who previously served as the Conservative MP for Bridgend under the name Jamie Wallis, attended court to answer to charges filed by the Crown Prosecution Service. Wallis, 40, who publicly came out as transgender and uses she/her pronouns, represented Bridgend from 2019 until the general election of 2024.
The trial, which commenced on Monday, 19 May, has attracted widespread attention due to Wallis’ high-profile status and the nature of the allegations. Initially, the former MP was charged with stalking Rebecca Wallis, her former partner, with the alleged incidents said to have occurred between 15 February and 20 March this year in Cardiff. However, in a notable development during the court session, prosecutors announced the withdrawal of the stalking charge. Instead, Wallis now faces a single charge of harassment.
Allegations put before the court state that between 14 February and 21 March, Wallis reportedly engaged in unwanted contact with her ex-wife. This is said to have taken the form of persistent messaging and voice notes, repeated phone calls, and even driving past Rebecca Wallis’s residence. Such behaviour, it is claimed, caused distress and alarm to the alleged victim.
Wearing a pale blue cardigan and hoop earrings, Wallis appeared composed in the dock. She firmly denied the allegations, entering a plea of not guilty to the harassment charge. Legal representation is being provided by Narita Bahra KC, a prominent barrister from London known for her expertise in high-profile cases. The trial is expected to hear evidence from both parties over the coming days and will examine the nature and context of the communications in question.
In her time as an MP, Katie Wallis was known for breaking new ground, notably becoming the first openly transgender MP in the UK. Her tenure in Westminster was marked by both public support and significant scrutiny, particularly following her public revelation about her gender identity. The circumstances surrounding the current case have reignited conversations around the treatment of transgender figures in public life and the scrutiny they face in both their personal and professional spheres.
As proceedings unfold, the defence is anticipated to challenge the prosecution’s interpretation of the alleged events, possibly focusing on the context of the communications, the relationship between the parties, and Wallis’s own account of her actions. The prosecution, meanwhile, will aim to demonstrate that the accumulated incidents constituted harassment under UK law, and that the alleged behaviour went beyond what might be considered normal contact between ex-partners.
This trial also serves to highlight ongoing debates about domestic incidents involving public figures and how such cases are addressed by the criminal justice system. The balance between an individual’s right to privacy and the public’s right to be informed is once again in the spotlight, with legal teams on both sides expected to make robust arguments.
The judiciary will undoubtedly be mindful of the significant public interest in the case, as well as the sensitive issues it raises around gender identity, privacy, and personal conduct. The outcome of the trial may yet have implications for how similar cases are reported and prosecuted in future, particularly where public figures are involved.
As of the latest updates, the trial was still in its early stages, with live coverage ongoing. Observers from across Wales and beyond are following the developments, keen to see how the court, and the wider justice system, navigates this complex and closely watched case.