Unusually for a non-native Welsh bishop, Cooper is a fluent Welsh-speaker. He received a Master of Philosophy degree for a study in bilingualism in the Church in Wales.
He was elected and consecrated Bishop of St David's in 2002. In his role as bishop, Cooper was invited to Uganda by the "old friend of west Wales", George Katwesigye,[3] there he met MP and University of Wales graduate David Bahati. At that meeting Cooper was quoted as saying, "Wales' influence often stretches further than we realise."[4]
David Bahati later tried to pass an act through the Ugandan Parliament to have the death penalty applied to certain homosexual acts.[5] Bishop George Katwesigye has accused "perpetrators" of homosexuality of "indirectly bringing back colonialism in Uganda".[6]
In February 2008 it was announced that Cooper was separating from his wife of 25 years, Joy.[7] There then followed press speculation linking Cooper with his chaplain and communications officer, Mandy Williams-Potter. After consultation with the Archbishop of Wales, Cooper took a leave of absence on 12 March 2008;[8] and then resigned his position on 29 April 2008.[9][10][11]
After standing down as a bishop of the Church in Wales, Cooper was in 2008 appointed Chief Executive of the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO).[12]
Cooper was married to Joy and they have four children together. They separated in 2008 after 25 years of marriage.[14]
In 2008, he stepped down as Bishop of St David's because of allegations that he had been having an affair with his chaplain, Mandy Williams-Potter. They both denied the affair.[15][16] Williams-Potter had been married to her husband for 15 years and they had had two children together, before splitting in 2008.[17]
