London: British politics was rocked on Tuesday after a suspended Labour minister in the Welsh parliament was found dead in his house just days after he vowed to clear his name of what he said were "shocking and distressing" but unspecified allegations against him.
North Wales police said they were called to a home in Connah's Quay at around 11.30am, local time, following a report "that the body of a man had been found".
"The man has been formally identified as Carl Sargeant???," police said in a statement.
"North Wales police are not treating his death as suspicious."
Carl Sargeant's death, widely reported to to be a suicide, comes amid the sexual harassment scandal sweeping Westminster, which has led to high-profile resignations from Theresa May's government, as well as from the Labour party, and the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.
Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn told the BBC he was "shocked and horrified" by Mr Sargeant's death.
"All allegations must be examined, they must be pursued but there also has to be great pastoral care and support given to everybody involved in these accusations and also that we deal with all parties as quickly as possible," he said.
Mr Sargeant made his last public statement via his personal Twitter account on Friday.
He said the First Minister had told him that allegations had been made about his personal conduct which were "shocking and distressing to me".
"The details of the allegations have yet to be disclosed to me," he said last week.
He wrote to Welsh Labour's General Secretary requesting an urgent independent investigation "which would allow me to clear my name".
He agreed to step down from Cabinet while the investigation took place "given the nature of the allegations," but said "I look forward to returning to Government once my name is cleared".
Mr Sargeant was aged 49. He leaves behind a wife and two children in their twenties.
His family released a statement and said they were "in shock and grief".
"Carl was a much loved husband, father and friend. He wasn't simply a part of our family, he was the glue that bound us together. He was the heart of our family. We loved him so very much," the statement said.
"He was the most kind and caring husband, father, son and friend. We are devastated beyond words, and we know our grief will be shared by all those who knew and loved him."
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