A RETIRED detective convicted of downloading indecent images of children will not lose his police pension, Gwent's police and crime commissioner has said.

Shaun Ballinger, aged 48, of Glassworks Cottages, Newport, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on September 1, of this year, charged with three counts of making indecent images of children.

The former detective constable pleaded guilty to the charges. The court heard Ballinger was still serving with Gwent Police when the indecent images were downloaded on his computer.

He served for 28 years retiring in July of this year but was not 'active' four months prior to the images being found due to ill health.

Police and Crime Commissioners have the power to determine if a police pension should be forfeited in whole or in part, permanently or temporarily, if an officer has been convicted of an offence committed in connection with their service as a member of a police force or an offence liable to lead to serious loss of confidence in the public service.

But Gwent's PCC Jeff Cuthbert, who under under regulation K5 of the Police Pensions Regulations Act, can forfeit pensions said Ballinger's case doesn't meet the criteria.

He said: “I have read all the relevant material relating to this case, including the transcript of the Judge’s sentencing remarks. I have also taken advice from our legal team.

"Based on the criteria stipulated in the legislation regarding the forfeiture of police pensions and the sentencing remarks of the Judge, I conclude that there are no grounds for me to forfeit the pension of Shaun Ballinger.”

In June, of this year, police found 36 indecent images of children on an Acer laptop in Ballinger's home. They found nine category A videos - the most serious, 16 category B videos and 11 category C images.

The court heard, all of the images were of girls aged between six and 12-years-old. Police also found 129 images some of which were indecent but of poor quality.

Judge Geraint Walters last month gave Ballinger a three year community order with requirements to attend a sexual offender’s treatment programme.

Mr Cuthbert added: “Sexual exploitation is a danger to all children and that is why preventing crimes of this nature and protecting our children from serious harm is such an important focus for me in developing my police and crime plan for Gwent. You can rest assured that all reports relating to child sexual exploitation will be taken seriously by Gwent Police and will be thoroughly investigated.

"I will continue to support the force in utilising and investing in the latest technology so it can pursue and arrest those who prey on our children online with the aim of bringing those who exploit them to justice."