No charge against ex-police chief

Mr Grange retired suddenly last November

The Crown Prosecution Service will not press charges against the former chief of Dyfed-Powys Police, it has said.

Ex-Chief Constable Terence Grange was being investigated over claims of financial irregularities and misuse of a police computer.

Mr Grange retired suddenly last November during an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation into the claims.

A IPCC spokesman said their findings had been passed to Dyfed-Powys Police.

The force had previously confirmed that the computer misuse allegations related to Mr Grange sending private emails from a police machine concerning a personal relationship.

The financial irregularities concerned the use of a credit card.

Ian Christon from the IPCC said: "Our report has been passed to Dyfed-Powys Police Authority, and we await a response.

"We hope to be in a position in early May to issue the findings of our investigation.

"The CPS has decided not to proceed with charges. That's why our investigation has been handed to the police authority."

A spokeswoman for the CPS told BBC Wales: "We considered whether the allegations regarding the e-mails were sufficiently serious for the offence of Misconduct in a Public Office but concluded that they were not.

"We also considered the improper use of the credit card but concluded that we would not be able to satisfy a jury that Mr Grange had been dishonest."

Last month, Dyfed-Powys Police announced it had appointed the deputy chief constable of West Mercia Police, Ian Arundale, as its new chief constable.

Mr Arundale, who started his career with South Wales Police, is expected to take up his post in June.