A man who was hounded from his Gilwern home has been sentenced to a three-year community order for possessing indecent images.

Stephen Tucker, aged 44, had been living in the property at Cae Derw for just five weeks when the local community became aware of his original court appearance on August 17. Their vigilante action forced him to leave his United Welsh Housing Association home four days later.

Last week Tucker appeared at Newport Crown Court for sentencing on four counts of making indecent images of children and a pornographic image of humans engaging in sexual activity with dogs.

The court was told that police searched Tucker's original home in Torfaen and seized his computer for analysis.

The prosecutor told the court that Tucker had viewed the images, three of which were classed as level four in severity and one at level three, but that the images had not been downloaded onto his computer.

In mitigation the court heard that Tucker was of previous good character and that all the offences were committed on the same day.

Tucker was sentenced to a three-year community service order, an 8pm to 7am curfew and placed on the sex offenders' register for five years. He also has to comply with a five year Sexual Offences Prosecution Order and complete a treatment programme.

Following the original unrest in the vicinity of Gilwern Primary School's playing field and a children's playground, a spokesman for United Welsh Housing Association said that neighbourhood officers had gone around the area to allay residents' fears.

The housing association also confirmed that the occupant would 'definitely not be returning to this Gilwern address'.

A Gwent Police spokesman added: "The management of sex offenders in the community is provided under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements which involve the police, the probation service, local authorities, the prison service, health and other partners.

"Public safety is always the priority and all aspects of cases are carefully considered at every stage of the process which includes where the offender lives and potential safety issues arising."