A BBC licence fee-funded TV station has made a payout to a female executive accused of drunkenly abusing a British Lions rugby star.
Former executive Llinos Griffin-Williams, 42, allegedly hurled abusive language towards ex-Wales rugby player Mike Phillips at an after-party.
The event took place following a game between Wales and Georgia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
She allegedly insulted Mr Phillips for his Welsh language ability, saying it was not good enough.
Ms Griffin-Williams had been headhunted into the £124,000 a year role of chief content officer at S4C – Channel 4 in Wales.
She was dismissed for ‘gross misconduct’ following the bust-up.
The mother-of-two then claimed £565,000 for loss of earnings as well as undisclosed claims for reputational damage and injury to her feelings and her health.
However she and the TV company have now reached a financial settlement which has brought legal proceedings to a close.
The TV station – which gets most of its funding through the BBC licence fee – confirmed it has settled a High Court data protection claim brought by Ms Griffin-Williams, against S4C and former chairman Rhodri Williams.
It said: ‘The terms of the agreement are confidential, and the settlement has been reached without any admission of liability.
‘Parties have concluded that it is in everyone’s interests to resolve the dispute to avoid protracted litigation.
‘They are pleased to have reached a resolution which enables everyone to move forward.’
A senior S4C source previously told The Daily Mail: ‘Llinos Griffin-Williams was personally abusive to Mike Phillips, saying things like if it wasn’t for her no one would know who he was. She also told him that his Welsh wasn’t good enough.
‘When they got to the venue, Llinos Griffin-Williams was abusive towards members of the Whisper team including Mike Phillips, who is one of the pundits.
‘She was clearly very drunk and told them that they wouldn’t get any more contracts to make programmes for S4C.
‘She went on to say that her job at S4C was to make sure that big production companies like Whisper got less work from the channel.’
Mr Phillips, who is Wales’s most-capped scrum half and even dated pop star Duffy, left the after-party to go to another location.
However, Ms Griffin-Williams allegedly appeared there and ‘resumed her abusive comments’.
The terms of her settlement remain confidential, but it is understood to be a six-figure sum.
In court papers, three sources were quoted as raising concerns about the executive’s behaviour while working at the Rugby World Cup in Nantes.
Ms Griffin-Williams was sacked shortly after the after-party and was not given an opportunity to plead her case.
Her claims against S4C and Rhodri Williams included misfeasance in public office and breaches of privacy, the Data Protection Act, and GDPR.
She has always denied the allegations about her conduct at the S4C function during the Rugby World Cup.
In documents submitted to the High Court, she questioned the credibility of accounts of her behaviour, one of which she claimed may have been based on hearsay.
She claimed that Mr Williams gave no prior notice of the allegations or right to respond and acted without approval from senior leadership.
Other court documents quoted messages containing expletives, allegedly sent by Griffin-Williams to a senior member of the team.
Griffin-Williams had alleged she was treated differently to other senior figures at the broadcaster who had faced allegations ‘capable of amounting to gross misconduct’.
On her settlement with S4C, Llinos Griffin-Williams commented: ‘I am pleased that this terrible chapter has finally come to an end after two and a half years. ‘This has been an extremely difficult period for my family and me. No amount of financial compensation can take away the pain and trauma my children and I have suffered.
‘I tried hard to resolve this matter privately but was forced to pursue justice through the courts. Reaching this settlement now allows me to focus on my recovery and rebuild my life.’
Emma Linch, partner at Simons Muirhead Burton who represented Llinos Griffin-Williams, said: ‘This settlement has curtailed an expensive and stressful process. I am very pleased that she can now focus on her family, her health and to resume her career as an outstanding professional in the media industry.’
S4C settled a different claim brought by former chief executive Sian Doyle in October last year.
Ms Doyle, 58, was sacked for alleged bullying from her post as chief executive at Welsh language channel S4C, Channel 4 in Wales.
Ms Doyle was accused of a string of foul-mouthed rants in front of colleagues – and threating to sack fellow workers in a ‘dictatorial’ manner.
But she launched a High Court action and pursued an Employment Tribunal for wrongful dismissal saying she was on sick leave when she was axed – and unable to dispute the claims.
In the days following her sacking her husband Rob said she had been admitted to hospital having taken an apparent overdose.
Ms Doyle is understood to have halted the actions after receiving a settlement of more than £500,000.
