ALAN King who served four months in jail for possessing child pornography will not be returning to work today following an outcry from his colleagues.

King, 43, of Pinehurst Road, was sent to prison in September 2003 after he was snared during a major internet child pornography probe.

He wanted to return to Sauer Danfoss the Cheney Manor-based engineering company where he has worked for the past nine years.

But workers at the company, which designs and manufactures hydraulic and electronic systems and components, did not want him back.

One employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "The whole of the 300-strong workforce doesn't want him back.

"They're up in arms and even threatening wildcat strikes if he comes back. There have even been threats against him personally it is a risk to health and safety."

His case was taken up by the Transport and General Workers' Union, of which King was a member.

Terry Woodhouse, of the Swindon branch of the TGWU, took up King's case but was unavailable for comment.

Derek Yandell, the company's human resources director, said: "He (King) will not be returning to work.

"After consultation with Alan and his union it was decided he would leave our employment.

"We took the best interests of all our employees into account and came to this decision by mutual agreement."

He refused to reveal whether King had been offered a financial settlement.

King, a married man with grown up children, admitted two specimen counts of making indecent photos or pseudo-photos of children and one of possession of an indecent photograph of a child.

The former RAF serviceman, who is registered disabled, was caught during Operation Hussar when police seized his home computer and found 99 deleted images of children on the hard drive.

An examination revealed King had used a search engine to scour the internet for teenage and pre-teenage hardcore images.

King has been placed on the sex offender's register for 10 years.

The Home Office said it would not disclose details of King's release date stating that would be a breach of his confidentiality.

bvadde@newswilts.co.uk