A DISGRACED police constable was sacked from the Gwent force after lying to a court, we can reveal.

Christopher Watkins, 41, of Dingle Road, Abergavenny, admitted his guilt before a police disciplinary panel last month - a year after being given a suspended prison sentence for perjury.

The decision pleased 44-year-old poultry worker Graham Jones from Ebbw Vale who was involved in an incident in Abergavenny town centre on February 11, 2001, which led to Watkins appearing before the court where he lied in evidence.

Mr Jones had claimed Watkins assaulted him during the incident and Watkins was subsequently charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Mr Jones told the Argus yesterday: "He (Watkins) doesn't deserve to be in the police force and I'm happy he will no longer wear the uniform."

Watkins was cleared of assault in May 2003 - along with colleague PC Neil Martin.

But Watkins was found guilty of perjury in relation to a hearing before Abergavenny magistrates in October 2001. Watkins maintained only he and PC Martin were in the police van at the time of the incident.

However, it emerged before the magistrates that special police constable Jeremy Miles was also present.

Charges relating to the incident against Mr Jones were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Watkins was given a six-month sentence suspended for two years and told to pay £1,000 costs for perjury.

Judge John Griffith Williams, QC, told him: "You will have to bear the consequences of your disgrace and the knowledge that you have brought disgrace not only on the Gwent Constabulary, but the police force in general.

"Having heard the evidence it is probably in the public interest that he (Watkins) has no future in the police force."

An internal inquiry was also carried out. A spokeswoman for Gwent Police said yesterday : "We can confirm that, after an internal investigation and disciplinary hearing, Christopher Watkins has been dismissed from the Force. As a result of an internal investigation undertaken by Gwent Police, Mr Watkins appeared before Cardiff crown court for the offence of perjury for which he was convicted and sentenced, the appeal process of which was finalised in March."