Keith Davies AM and female companion involved in 'drinking, shouting and swearing' at hotel

The findings of the Assembly's Standards Commissioner, Gerard Elias QC, into why Keith Davies AM was asked to leave the St David's Hotel in Cardiff Bay have been published. The findings are as follows:

The AM returned to the hotel at about 4.45am on 24 April with a female and both went to room 408. At this time the AM was adversely affected by alcohol.

Shortly thereafter both the female and the AM contacted hotel reception requesting that two bottles of wine be sent to the room. After some discussion, this was done - the AM authorised his credit card to be debited.

Thereafter, between 05.30 and 08.30am the hotel reception received a number of complaints from adjoining rooms of the noise emanating from room 408 and from its balcony, which included loud shouting and swearing.

Telephone calls to room 408 and face to face visits by hotel staff seeking to get the AM and his companion to reduce the noise and consequent disturbance to other hotel occupants were met with abuse and threats, particularly from the female, and an indication from the AM that he did not intend to pay the bill.

The AM booked out of the hotel at about 12 noon while the female made foul mouthed detrimental comments about the hotel from the first floor landing. This was witnessed by the numerous hotel guests then present in the lobby.

The AM left the hotel alone.

Mr Elias found that Keith Davies had failed to comply with the code of conduct for Assembly members by failing to conduct himself in a manner that would tend to maintain and strengthen the public's trust and confidence in the integrity of the Assembly.

Mr Davies says he does not take issue with any of the findings and acknowledged that his conduct was inconsistent with using the hotel at taxpayers' expense to carry out his duties as an AM. He has now personally paid the hotel bill.

The findings have been considered by four AMs who sit on the Assembly's standards of conduct committee. They found that because the breach in the code of conduct was for personal conduct and didn't relate to financial or other interests, the sanction of exclusion from the Assembly was not available to them. Instead they are proposing a motion of censure is passed on Keith Davies and his fellow AMs will vote on it next Wednesday.