AN EX-BLAENAVON man suspected of committing child rape and pornography offences in America is being reinvestigated by Gwent Police.

James Daniel Hanna, 66, is in custody in Madison County, Arkansas, charged with a string of child sex offences after he was arrested at the Japton Grocery and Farm Supply Store he owns on August 28.

The charges include four counts of rape, 50 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sex with a child, three counts of computer child sex images, three counts of computer exploitation of a child in the first degree, and three counts of sexual indecency with a child. He is due to appear at Madison County Circuit court on January 8.

In light of the recent legal proceedings Gwent Police said they were reviewing allegations made against Hanna six years ago.

A spokeswoman said: “We can confirm a file of evidence regarding an allegation of fraudulent activity was passed to the CPS in 2006, but no further action was taken.

“Officers are now conducting a review of allegations made in 2006 and are liaising with Madison County Police as part of this review.”

The force would not give details of the allegations and would not confirm if they related to child sex offences.

Speaking to the Argus from America last month, Sheriff Phillip Morgan said Hanna’s arrest came after more than a year of investigations.

In 2003 we reported that New Orleans-born Hanna wanted to reinvent Blaenavon as a booktown similar to Hay-on-Wye.

Seven bookshops were opened at the time and tens of thousands of books were stored in a town warehouse ready for distribution to would-be booksellers keen to set up their own businesses.

Blaenavon Booktown Festival was launched and attracted top writers, but three years later a number of the bookshops had closed and Hanna left the area.

Hanna is being detained in custody with a $500,000 prison bond.