THE man behind plans to reinvent Blaenavon as a book town is being detained in custody in the United States on suspicion of having committed child rape and pornography offences.

James Daniel Hanna, who is 66, is currently in custody with a $500,000 prison bond, in Madison County, Arkansas, after being arrested at his businesses - the Japton Grocery and Farm Supply.

He has been charged with a string of child sex offences including four counts of rape, 50 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sex with a child, three counts of computer child sex images, three counts of computer exploitation of a child in the first degree, and three counts of sexual indecency with a child.

He is due to appear at Madison County Circuit court on January 8.

Gwent Police say officers will now be reviewing allegations made against Hanna while he was in Blaenavon six years ago.

At the time he revealed plans to establish the World Heritage site as a book town and seven stores sprung up in the high street, most of which were shut by the time Hanna left the area in 2006.

A police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm a file of evidence regarding an allegation of fraudulent activity was passed to the CPS in 2006, but no further action was taken.

"Officers are now conducting a review of allegations made in 2006 and are liaising with Madison County Police as part of this review."

The force would not give details of the allegations and would not confirm if they related to child sex offences.