Tribunal to reassess plagiarism allegations

Allegations of plagiarism against former University College of Wales, Aberystwyth education lecturer Janem Jones are to be formally investigated by the University of Wales.

The allegations first came to light in 1992 when it was alleged that Mrs Jones plagiarised a student's work while she was preparing her PhD thesis on bilingual education. Aberystwyth investigated the allegations and found her guilty.

Mrs Jones appealed to the university's highest authority, its visitor, the Queen.

Following Mrs Jones' petition, the Privy Council took the matter up on the Queen's behalf. Last year, it sought advice on the case from a senior judge, Sir Tasker Watkins, who concluded that the original handling of the allegations was defective and that Mrs Jones had failed to receive natural justice.

Now the federal university is establishing its own investigation.

A tribunal from outside the university will soon be convened and the university has agreed that it will implement whatever the tribunal recommends.

Mrs Jones, who lost a new job at Swansea following the Aberystwyth verdict, no longer lectures at the University of Wales.