A NEWPORT woman caught up in the controversial ousting of the head of a Gwent race group says she is the "innocent victim" of an internal dispute.

Rachel Godwin lost her job at the South East Wales Racial Equality Council (SEWREC) last week, along with the group's director, Dr Mashuq Ally.

Among the reasons cited for disciplinary action taken against Dr Ally is what SEWREC described as his "improper personal relationship" with Ms Godwin.

Last week, SEWREC chairwoman, Vernesta Cyril told the Argus that Dr Ally's ousting was "nothing to do with Rachel Godwin".

But the Argus has since learnt that four of the five complaints SEWREC had against their former director concern Ms Godwin.

Two of the complaints relate to Dr Ally's appointment of Rachel Godwin to a full-time temporary post with SEWREC.

The other two relate to Dr Ally's reasons for attending the high profile domestic violence court case against Cwmcarn boxer Bradley Pryce, who was convicted of assaulting Ms Godwin, and Dr Ally's alleged "improper personal relationship" with Ms Godwin.

But Ms Godwin stressed that their relationship was purely professional, saying: "Those words implied something was going on between us, which it wasn't. It was strictly professional.

"I was not even asked about this by the committee and certainly did not make any complaint against Dr Ally, so why have they used this as a reason for dismissing him?"

The other complaint against Dr Ally concerns an allegation of discrimination, and claims that Dr Ally was "culpable" in the alleged bullying and harassment of a member of staff who has since resigned from SEWREC.

Dr Ally said he did not wish to make any comment on the matter but Ms Godwin said: "Yes, he may have been at the court to offer support to me as a member of his staff. But he also sits as the SEWREC representative on the Community Safety and Crime and Disorder Partnership who are concerned with domestic violence and with Bradley being of mixed race there was obviously a professional interest in the court case."

Ms Godwin admitted that she was aware one member of staff had made a specific complaint about her in a letter of resignation, but said she had not been spoken to about the allegation.

She said: "I have not been asked to give my side of the story, or to respond to any complaint against me."

A SEWREC spokesman said: "Rachel was not sacked and did nothing wrong.

"She was on a temporary contract and there was no funding for that contract. She was a good worker, but there was just no funding."

He added that the manner in which Dr Ally appointed Rachel Godwin to the post meant that her employment ended when Dr Ally lost his job. Ms Godwin has now instructed a solicitor to demand answers from SEWREC and said: "Which ever way you look at it, I have been the innocent victim in all of this.

"After the trial was over, I just wanted to start again, and things were looking up. I was in a job I enjoyed and was getting my life back together. But all this, well, its just another slap in the face."