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A Gwent Police officer who sexually abused a girl under the age of 13 has been dismissed from the force and barred from ever being a police officer again.

John Stringer, 42, from Cardiff, was found to have committed gross misconduct and brought policing into disrepute at a misconduct hearing in Cwmbran, Torfaen.

Stringer was convicted of five sexual offences against the girl, including sexual assault, at a trial in September. He was remanded in custody to be sentenced later this month.

Temporary assistant chief constable Nick McLain said Stringer had "brought discredit on the police service and undermined confidence in the public in policing".

He called the abuse of the girl "abhorrent and wholly unacceptable", causing "actual harm and distress to a vulnerable victim".

Mr McLain said Stringer's actions were "premeditated, planned and targeted, taking deliberate and premeditated steps for sexual gratification" over a period of time.

Dismissing Stringer from the force with immediate effect, Mr McLain said most police staff work tirelessly for the public and that there was "no room for this type of conduct in Gwent Police".

He said "the misconduct is so serious that nothing short of dismissal with no notice is appropriate".

Stringer, who was not present or represented at the hearing, will also be barred from being a police officer in the future.