A WELSH Assembly Member has today hit out at the sentence handed to ex-Mid and West Wales AM and former Ceredigion MP Simon Thomas, who has avoided jail after pleading guilty to making indecent images of children.

Mr Thomas was yesterday given a 26-week jail sentence, suspended for two years, after previously admitting making more than 500 indecent photographs and 77 films.

The court heard that still images found on his tablet and mobile phone included almost 100 of the most serious category. Ninety-four still images and 56 videos were classified as category A - the most serious.

Welsh Conservative AM, Andrew RT Davies, has today written to the Attorney General and the Crown Prosecution Service to ask what avenues or mechanisms are available to review the sentence.

The former Welsh Tory leader said: “Given the public outrage over the leniency of this punishment, I have today written to the Attorney General and the Crown Prosecution Service to see what mechanisms are available for review.

“To me, the punishment handed down to Mr Thomas seems absurd given the severity and horrific nature of the crimes.

“It is my understanding that this will sadly fall outside of the remit of the Attorney General, which shows there is an anomaly in the system and begs some serious questions as to why this was dealt with at a Magistrates’ Court.

“This was not a victimless crime – far from it. Mr Thomas’ actions has only served to fuel the demand in this horrific trade and to escape with a slap on the wrists seems all the more outrageous.”