A GWENT detective was convicted of exchanging indecent images over the internet.

Jury members took four hours to find Michael Roger Owen Thomas, 40, formerly of Newport, guilty of 11 counts of making indecent images, 10 counts of distributing indecent images and one count of possessing an indecent image of a child.

During the trial at Cardiff Crown Court, the jury heard Thomas exchanged images over internet service Google Hello.

The system, which went out of use in June 2008, was used for family and friends to share photos, but Thomas used the username oscarnovind2 to send 253 images and receive nearly 2,500 through the system between March and October 2007.

A total of 33 sent images and 456 received images were indecent images of children.

Thomas was identified as using the username oscarnovind2 through e-mail addresses, internet provider addresses and through reference to his work records.

This included Thomas’ online betting account which used the same e-mail address used by oscarnovind2 on Google Hello.

The court had also heard Thomas’ laptop was taken to PC World in Newport on October 11, 2007, seven weeks before he was arrested and the hard drive was reformatted.

No indecent images were found on Thomas’ computer and Thomas had denied any recollection of the e-mail address or username.

Following the guilty verdicts, Judge David Morris said: “It is very sad indeed to see a man of your ability and accomplishment standing in the dock of a criminal court convicted of these offences which are serious offences.”

Thomas was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.