A MAGISTRATE has been unveiled as the UK Independence Party's candidate to be the region's next police and crime commissioner.

Peter Jewell, a former tribunal judge, has announced he is going for the £75,000-a-year looming West Mercia vacancy in May's elections.

The retired management consultant, who lived in South Africa for 20 years, is from Redditch and contested the General Election seat for UKIP last year.

He only got into politics in 2013 after meeting UKIP leader Nigel Farage, and said it will be "a great honour" to contest the commissioner seat.

He said: "It is a great honour to be selected as the UKIP candidate - however it's my view that the role itself is a non party-political one.

"Having said that, there is one area where I am at one with my party, and that is in relation to security and the control of our national borders, which are paramount.

"We are the only political party to believe our borders should be patrolled.

"Security is a growing issue both in terms of financial cost and commitment of manpower."

In his spare time Mr Jewell, a dad-of-one, helps looks after the finances of Worcestershire County Cricket Club, chairing the audit committee.

During his working life he held shares in various companies including the diamond and jewellery trade, and in aviation.

At the General Election last year he finished third in Redditch, with a 16 per cent share of the vote after garnering support from 7,133 people.

In May's elections West Mercia Police is guaranteed a new commissioner as Bill Longmore is stepping down.

His current deputy Barrie Sheldon is standing as an independent, while Councillor John Campion is the Conservative hopeful and Labour are set to field Daniel Walton, who contested the West Worcestershire parliamentary seat last year.

Andrew Caitlin, a criminal justice and health consultant who worked for the police for 24 years, is also standing as an independent.

The winner will be handling a budget of more than £200 million per year, working alongside chief constable David Shaw and overseeing more than 2,000 workers.

But the role of commissioner has been embroiled in controversy, with its first ever round of elections in 2012 producing some dismally poor turnouts.