MPs quiz PCC and ex-chief

A leading expert on policing has tonight called on the Welsh Government to take over control of forces across Wales. The move follows the bitter row over how a Welsh Police Commissioner handled the forced retirement of a chief constable.

Dr Tim Brain says the Gwent Commissioner, Ian Johnston was within his rights to force out Chief Constable Carmel Napier.

Dr Brain is now calling for a review of who is responsible for the police forces of Wales.

Owain Phillips reports

More details have emerged of the relationship between Gwent Police Commissioner Ian Johnston and the force's former Chief Constable Carmel Napier.

Mr Johnston was appearing before MPs today, and insisted he had "volumes of written evidence" when confronting the former Chief Constable.

Gwent's Police and Crime Commissioner, Ian Johnston, will be questioned by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee today. A one-off session is being held with all four Welsh PCCs, but the spotlight is likely to fall Mr Johnston following revelations over the departure of Chief Constable, Carmel Napier.

Carmel Napier suddenly left her post as Gwent's Chief Constable last month. Later it emerged that Ian Johnston had suggested she should retire or face being removed from her post.

Giving evidence to the Home Affairs Committee last week, the ex-Chief Constable said that Ian Johnston was 'bullying and menacing' when he told her she should retire or be sacked. Mr Johnston defended his decision, saying it was clear she was "hostile" to his role as Gwent's PCC.

It later emerged that the taxpayer footed the bill of £16,000 in legal fees over the removal of the Chief Constable.

Ian Johnston, the police commissioner for Gwent is under pressure to resign following his decision to push the chief constable out of the force. Labour MP Chris Ruane, who quizzed Mr Johnston in Parliament yesterday, says significant questions still remain over Carmel Napier's retirement.

Former Chief Constable of Gwent Police, Carmel Napier tells the committee she didn't meet Ian Johnston that often and says there had been "no conversation" as to her performance.

Gwent's Police and Crime Commissioner and Gwent Police's former chief constable appear before the Home Affairs Select Committee in London. Earlier this month Ian Johnston admitted telling Carmel Napier to retire or face being pushed out. He told the committee there were issues very early on.

Former Chief Constable of Gwent Police, Carmel Napier tells the committee she didn't meet Ian Johnston that often and says there had been "no conversation" as to her performance. She says she felt "bullied" and "intimidated" by Johnston.

Gwent Commissioner says he tried week on week to make the system work, but didn't succeeded. Though he says he was "surprised" she retired and expected to have to push her out through legislative process.

Ian Johnson says no additional payments were made to Carmel Napier except those already in her contract. Committee chair Keith Vaz MP asks if the decision to provide her with an ultimatum was a clash of personalities he responds it was "much more fundamental than that"

Gwent's Police and Crime Commissioner and Gwent Police's former chief constable will appear before the Home Affairs Select Committee in London later.

A row broke out last month when it emerged that Ian Johnston had ordered Carmel Napier to 'retire or be removed.'

Both parties will give their side of events that led to Mrs Napier's departure at the meeting in Westminister this afternoon.