A FORMER policeman who was jailed for inappropriate relationships with a crime victim and another witness five years ago has been formerly disbarred.

Gwent Police took so long to make the ruling on ex-PC Paul Chadwick from Pontypool partly because of "national changes" over the holding of misconduct proceedings.

But they said other action had ensured Chadwick could not rejoin any police force following his resignation.

The former officer, who resigned before standing trial at Newport Crown Court in 2021, was jailed after admitting two charges of misconduct in a public office, including forming a sexual relationship with one woman and kissing and exchanging 240 text messages with a second.

A Gwent Police spokesperson said the ex-officer has now been formerly "dismissed in his absence".

"Two allegations against retired PC Paul Chadwick were found as proven; he would have been dismissed without notice if he were still serving,” they said.

"The former police officer, who was jailed for admitting two counts of misconduct in public office, was dismissed at an accelerated misconduct hearing.

"Ex-PC Paul Chadwick did not attend the hearing which was held in Cwmbran on Thursday 10 September, where he faced two allegations of discreditable conduct; both were found as proven."

Assistant Chief Constable John Wade, who chaired the hearing, said:“Chadwick’s disgraceful actions undermine public confidence in policing.

“The vast majority of our officers, staff and volunteers work hard every day to serve and reassure our communities, and behaviour like this will never be tolerated.”

Chadwick will now be placed on the College of Policing’s Barred List.

Newport Crown Court heard in 2021 how the 2020 offences came to light when a woman was found on the wrong side of railings overlooking a road.

She revealed that after taking a witness statement from her about an alleged assault, the married father-of-three had visited her off-duty and had sex with her "10 or 20 times".

Police began investigating the officer, whose wife had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and found "sexually explicit messages" on his phone.

On the delay in force misconduct proceedings, a Gwent Police spokesperson said: "It was an independent IOPC-led investigation originally which allowed for criminal matters to be prioritised before misconduct matters, as was common at the time.

"This is no longer the case if this were to happen now – reasonable efforts are made to pursue misconduct proceedings alongside criminal matters (sometimes with necessary safeguards in place so as not to jeopardise criminal proceedings...).

"Since Chadwick's release from prison, there has been a delay in processing legal matters for reasons including national changes within the misconduct landscape, which has led to the hearing taking place this week.

"Markers on law enforcement systems were put in place immediately upon Mr Chadwick’s retirement from the force.

"Vetting arrangements mean this would prevent any attempt to re-enter policing.

"Hence prior to this week, where Chadwick was placed on the Police Barred List, he would not have been able to join a UK police force or specified law enforcement agency.

"Chadwick was suspended on full pay from 8 December 2020 until he retired during the investigation on 30 June 2021."