Welsh Government lawyer who wrote Covid laws found dead in woodland

Owain Vaughan Morgan was found dead a day after being reported missing by his wife, an inquest heard. He had been dealing with added pressure at work and the effects of lockdowns

A Welsh Government lawyer responsible for writing Covid laws took his own life after struggling to deal with added pressure at work and the effect of the lockdowns, an inquest heard. Dad-of-two Owain Vaughan Morgan, 44, was found dead in Cardiff woodland on April 14 last year after he was reported missing by his wife.

In a statement at an inquest into his death at Pontypridd Coroners’ Court Mr Morgan’s wife Catherine, with whom he has two children, described him as a “family person” who enjoyed reading and loved being outdoors and going for walks. Though she said he had a tendency to worry she described his personality as “calm and collected” and he had no history of being anxious or depressed until 2020.

In January 2020 Mr Morgan was promoted to his first managerial role as a lawyer with the Welsh Government. The inquest heard he found the job very difficult and stressful with long hours. Mr Morgan also found it difficult to work from home when the pandemic started with the result that he suffered a nervous breakdown in May 2020, experiencing panic attacks and shaking at his work computer. His role had involved writing Covid legislation, the hearing was told.

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