Shaun Ballinger

A retired detective from Gwent Police has been convicted of serious sexual offences involving indecent images of children, yet he will retain his pension following a decision by the local police and crime commissioner.

Shaun Ballinger, aged 48, of Glassworks Cottages in Newport, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on 1 September 2024, where he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. The court heard that the images were downloaded on his computer while he was still serving as a detective constable with Gwent Police. Ballinger had served for 28 years, retiring in July 2024, but had been on ill health leave for four months prior to the discovery of the images in June 2024.

Police searches of Ballinger's home uncovered 36 indecent images on an Acer laptop, including nine category A videos—the most severe classification—16 category B videos, and 11 category C images. All depicted girls aged between six and 12 years old. Additionally, 129 other images of poor quality, some indecent, were found.

Judge Geraint Walters sentenced Ballinger to a three-year community order, which includes requirements to attend a sexual offender’s treatment programme. No custodial sentence was imposed.

Gwent's Police and Crime Commissioner, Jeff Cuthbert, reviewed the case under regulation K5 of the Police Pensions Regulations Act, which allows for the forfeiture of pensions if an officer is convicted of an offence connected to their service or one that leads to serious loss of public confidence. After examining the judge’s sentencing remarks and consulting legal advice, Cuthbert concluded that the criteria for forfeiture were not met. He stated: “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.”

Cuthbert emphasised the force's commitment to tackling child sexual exploitation, adding: “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.”

The case was investigated by Gwent Police, highlighting the force's role in addressing online child exploitation.