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In September this year, three senior Gwent Police officers had allegations of gross misconduct proven by a professional standards panel.

Chief Superintendent Marc Budden and Chief Inspector Paul Staniforth were dismissed without notice, while Mark Warrender, a former chief superintendent with the force retired before the outcome of the disciplinary.

All three have been added to the banned officers list and the force said that if Mr Warrender had been a serving officer, he too would have been dismissed.

At least one of the dismissed officers has now appealed their dismissal.

A spokesperson for the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office has refused to state which former officer has appealed.

In a statement they said: “There has been an appeal and it has been referred to the Police Appeals Tribunal in accordance with the Police Appeal Tribunal Rules.

“The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has a legal, procedural and administrative role in this process and as such we will not be able to comment further.”

Chief Superintendent Mark Warrender, who oversaw policing for Caerphilly, and Chief Superintendent Marc Budden, who was the force’s temporary assistant chief constable, were both suspended in 2019.

It followed an incident in Cardiff on June 28 that year at the retirement party of former Gwent Police Chief Constable Julian Williams.

An allegation of sexual assault was made against Mr Warrender, while Mr Budden was suspended over an allegation of misconduct in a public office. The CPS last year decided the pair would not face criminal charges.

However the two faced allegations of gross misconduct at a police hearing held behind closed doors earlier this year alongside Chief Inspector Paul Staniforth.