A 40-YEAR-OLD man from Pontypool has been jailed after being found guilty of a series of sexual assaults.

Matthew Tovey, of Elm Close, Trevethin, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison following a retrial at Swansea Crown Court.

In January, Tovey had been acquitted of three rapes, 11 sexual assaults and two counts of sexual activity with a child at a trial at Newport Crown Court.

The defendant denied all 23 counts against him during the eight-day trial at Newport Crown Court.

However, the jury was unable to reach decisions on seven sexual assault charges relating to another complainant, and it was decided at a hearing in January that he would face a retrial on those counts.

In the retrial heard at Swansea Crown Court, Tovey was found guilty of seven count of sexual assaults between 2013 and 2017.

Judge Paul Thomas QC ordered Tovey was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and must pay a victim surcharge of £120.

An earlier version of this story included incorrect details of the charges. This information was supplied by officers of the Crown Court, who now accept responsibility for the mistake. We apologise on their behalf for the error.