A POLICE and crime commissioner candidate has described an official complaint about his consultancy work as “pathetic”.

Gwent Police confirmed it received a complaint yesterday and referred the matter to the returning officer for the election.

But independent candidate Ian Johnston says his consultancy business has ceased trading and refuted the accusation.

He said on Facebook: “Someone has made a complaint to the returning officer that my consultancy... may be in conflict with (my) standing as a candidate.

Good try but pathetic really.

“Firstly there is no conflict but more importantly Janet and I wound up the company on September 30.”

Mr Johnston, a retired senior police officer, said he decided to wind up the consultancy as he wanted to focus on the police commissioner job.

Mr Johnston, who was managing director of Johnston & Johnston Consultancy, said the consultancy never provided any services to Gwent Police but organisations like BBC Wales and the Police Mutual Assurance Society.