Plaid Cymru councillor accused of electric massager assault
- Published
William Jones denies two counts of sexual assault at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
A Plaid Cymru councillor sexually assaulted one woman during a general election campaign and another with an electric massage device, a court heard.
William Jones, 67, is accused of assault at his home in Treherbert in January.
Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard after she made a complaint, another woman came forward, alleging an assault in February 2015.
The Rhondda Cynon Taf councillor denies both charges.
Prosecutor Roger Griffiths said the January assault happened after Mr Jones offered to use the electric massager on the woman's back.
However, he then put it on her breasts and between her legs, the court heard.
"The woman froze and was unable to say anything because of the shock," the prosecutor said.
"She told Jones 'I'm a married woman'. Jones replied: 'Your husband doesn't have to know'."
Rhondda Cynon Taf council is based in Tonypandy
The court heard she then fled and called the police.
The second woman came forward following the first complaint and described a sexual assault in the run-up to the 2015 general election when Mr Jones "picked her up" and carried her into a back room of a shop, the jury was told.
"The woman became concerned at that point. Jones put her down and she describes his hands 'going everywhere'," Mr Griffiths said.
"He put his hands between her legs, then on top of her breasts."
'Misunderstanding'
The woman told the court she repeatedly yelled "no" but Jones replied "come on" and continued to touch her.
She said: "I just wanted him to let me out and open the door. But he wasn't stopping.
"I didn't give him any words of encouragement."
During a police interview, Mr Jones said the incident was a "misunderstanding" and he thought the woman had been "encouraging" him.
He also denied the January incident and said the woman asked how his electric massage device worked and nothing sexual happened.
The trial continues.