Gwent panel finds five misconduct allegations proven ,Wales 2026

Key Points

• Sean Llewellyn, who used to be a policeman with Gwent Police, has been found guilty of gross misconduct following a two-day disciplinary hearing in Cwmbran.
• Five allegations were found proved by the panel.
• They referred to a sexualized picture that was sent out when Llewellyn was on duty and unauthorized access to police databases.
• Llewellyn accessed police systems for no reason of policing to get information associated with two premises in Ebbw Vale.
• He left Gwent Police before the hearing started.
• According to the panel, Llewellyn would have been dismissed without notice had he still been employed at Gwent Police.
• Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Townsend called the conduct of the ex-policeman “totally unacceptable.”
• Llewellyn did not show up to the hearing, and he will be put on the barred list of the College of Policing.

Wales (Wales Times ) August 22, 2026 – Sean Llewellyn misconduct hearing concluded with a disciplinary panel ruling that the former Gwent Police officer would have been dismissed without notice after five allegations of gross misconduct were found proven.

As reported by WalesOnline, Llewellyn had resigned from Gwent Police before the disciplinary proceedings began. However, the panel considered the allegations during a two-day hearing in Cwmbran and reached its decision in his absence.

The hearing examined claims that Llewellyn had sent a sexualised image of himself while wearing his police uniform to a member of the public. The image was reportedly sent under a false name.

The panel also considered allegations that Llewellyn had improperly accessed police computer systems. According to the report, he used police databases without a legitimate policing purpose to check information connected to addresses and people linked to two properties in Ebbw Vale.

All five allegations were found proven. The panel determined that Llewellyn breached the professional standards of confidentiality and discreditable conduct, which apply to police officers.

The disciplinary outcome means that, although Llewellyn had already left Gwent Police, the panel considered dismissal without notice to have been the appropriate sanction had he remained employed by the force.

Why was Sean Llewellyn found to have committed gross misconduct?

The Sean Llewellyn misconduct hearing considered conduct alleged to have taken place on several dates in 2021.

Gwent Police’s professional standards department carried out the investigation that led to the disciplinary case. The force concluded that Llewellyn had breached expected standards through the alleged communication with a member of the public and through the use of police systems for non-policing reasons.

The sending of a sexualised image while in uniform formed a central part of the allegations. The report stated that the image was sent to a member of the public while Llewellyn was wearing police clothing and using a fake name.

The case also concerned information security and data access. Police officers can access sensitive systems as part of their official roles, but the hearing found that Llewellyn had accessed information about individuals and addresses without a valid policing purpose.

The properties referred to during the hearing were in Ebbw Vale. The report did not state that the people or addresses searched were connected to any legitimate police enquiry involving Llewellyn.

The panel found that these actions amounted to breaches of confidentiality and discreditable conduct. Confidentiality standards cover the protection and appropriate handling of information obtained through policing duties. Discreditable conduct concerns behaviour that may damage public confidence in policing.

What did Gwent Police say after the hearing?

Gwent Police Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Townsend chaired the disciplinary panel. Speaking after the hearing, she said the former officer’s conduct did not meet the standards expected from police personnel.

Ms Townsend said: “The behaviour of this former officer was totally unacceptable; neither we nor the public accept such conduct from police officers whether on or off duty.”

She also addressed the importance of protecting information held by police forces. Ms Townsend said: “We expect all our officers to recognise the importance of data integrity and security, and this former officer has shown a complete lack of professionalism with these significant breaches.”

The assistant chief constable said the force would continue to act where officers or staff were found to have failed to meet standards.

Ms Townsend added: “We will continue to take robust action, as the public rightfully expects of us, against any officer or staff member who falls short of our standards of integrity and accountability.”

Her comments followed the panel’s decision that dismissal without notice would have been imposed if Llewellyn had not already resigned.

What does dismissal without notice mean in this case?

Dismissal without notice is the most serious employment sanction available in a police disciplinary case. It means an officer’s employment is ended immediately, without a notice period.

In this case, the sanction was considered hypothetical because Llewellyn had already resigned from Gwent Police before the hearing started. The panel nevertheless made a formal finding on what the appropriate outcome would have been if he had remained a serving officer.

The finding is significant because resignation does not prevent a police force from continuing misconduct proceedings in every case. A hearing can still consider allegations and determine whether a former officer’s actions would have justified dismissal.

The ruling also provides the basis for the next stated action in the case: Llewellyn is expected to be added to the College of Policing’s barred list.

The report said he would be placed on the barred list shortly after the conclusion of the hearing. Llewellyn did not attend the Cwmbran proceedings.

What is known about the College of Policing barred list?

The College of Policing barred list records people who have been dismissed from policing or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned or retired before a misconduct hearing concluded.

In Llewellyn’s case, the disciplinary panel found that dismissal without notice would have been justified. His expected inclusion on the barred list follows that finding.

The stated purpose of the list is to prevent people who have been barred from returning to policing roles covered by the system. The report did not provide a date for when Llewellyn’s name would be entered, only saying that it would happen shortly.

No further statement from Llewellyn was included in the material provided. He did not attend the hearing, and the report did not set out any response from him to the allegations or the panel’s conclusions.

How did the case develop from the original allegations?

The case began with an investigation by Gwent Police’s professional standards department into Llewellyn’s conduct in 2021.

Investigators examined the allegation that he sent a sexualised image to a member of the public while wearing police uniform. The allegation included the claim that he used a false name.

The investigation also reviewed police-system searches made by Llewellyn. Those searches concerned details relating to addresses and individuals connected to two Ebbw Vale properties.

The disciplinary panel then considered whether there had been a policing reason for the searches. It found that the databases had been accessed without a policing purpose.

Following the two-day hearing, the panel found each of the five allegations proven. It concluded that Llewellyn had breached standards concerning confidentiality and discreditable conduct.

The panel then ruled that the proven conduct would have led to dismissal without notice had Llewellyn remained a Gwent Police officer.

Background: Why are police misconduct hearings held?

Police misconduct hearings are used to examine allegations that officers or staff may have failed to meet professional standards of behaviour. They can consider evidence from internal investigations, hear submissions from those involved and decide whether allegations are proven.

The standards referred to in the Sean Llewellyn misconduct hearing included confidentiality and discreditable conduct. These standards are intended to ensure that police information is handled securely and that officers maintain conduct consistent with public expectations.

In this case, the hearing focused on two reported areas of conduct: the sending of a sexualised image while in police uniform and the use of police databases without a policing purpose. The panel found all five allegations arising from those matters proven.

The hearing was held in Cwmbran after Llewellyn had resigned from the force. Its ruling that he would have been dismissed without notice means the matter can proceed to the barred-list stage described by Gwent Police.

Prediction: How could the ruling affect the public and police workforce?

For members of the public in Gwent and the wider policing area, the ruling may provide a formal account of how allegations involving officer conduct and police-data access were assessed. Gwent Police’s stated position is that it will take action against personnel who fail to meet integrity and accountability standards.

For serving officers and police staff, the case may reinforce the consequences of using force systems without an official purpose and of conduct found to undermine professional standards. The finding that resignation did not stop the hearing may also be relevant to how disciplinary processes are understood within policing.

For people considering future work in policing, Llewellyn’s expected addition to the College of Policing barred list may prevent him from returning to roles covered by that system. The outcome remains limited to the findings made by the disciplinary panel and the information released by Gwent Police.