A Senedd member was investigated after leaving a negative review about a pair of crystal sherry glasses bought on eBay for £9.99.
Douglas Bain, who is the Senedd’s standards commissioner, launched a formal investigation after the seller made a complaint against the unnamed politician.
The complainant claimed the politician had posted false information questioning their 'integrity, reliability and honesty', according to a report published on October 17.
The Senedd member bought two Waterford crystal glasses online but, when they arrived, disputed that they matched the seller’s description, leaving a stinging review.
Mr Bain was satisfied the complaint – made under rule two of the Senedd’s code of conduct (members must act truthfully) – was admissible.
The dispute centred on whether the crystal glasses, which were purchased in January, were signed with an etching of the word 'Waterford' or an image of a seahorse.
In the course of an investigation spanning the past year, Mr Bain went as far as to have an independent expert inspect the item in pursuit of the truth.
Mr Bain selected an independent expert who examined the glass.
The expert concluded the item was a crystal liqueur glass, cut in ‘Kylemore’ pattern, on a hexagonal section baluster stem and 16-point star-cut circular base.
While the glass guru found no visible mark nor seahorse, they were satisfied “on the balance of probabilities” that the glass was made by Waterford and was not a fake.
Mr Bain concluded: “Even if, as the complainant asserts, the height of the glass was within tolerance and there was some vague mark which could have been the remnants of a Waterford crystal mark, it would still be my opinion that there had been no breach of rule two.
“I am satisfied that the member’s feedback report, even if it was factually incorrect, was honestly given. There is no evidence of any deceit, fraud or moral turpitude. Whilst it may, on the complainant’s account, have been imprecise and inaccurate – it was not untruthful.”
After discussing the report behind closed doors, politicians on the Senedd’s standards committee agreed with Mr Bain that their colleague had not breached the code of conduct.
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