A KILLER policeman will still be able to pick up a hefty force pension when he is released from prison, it has emerged.

And it was revealed that Ivor Jones has yet to officially resign from Cleveland Police - despite being jailed a week ago for eight years after admitting the manslaughter of his wife, Maria, on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Jones stabbed the 36-year-old hairdresser 96 times at their home in Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton, after she taunted him with details of an affair she was having.

After the attack, he called his sister and asked her to come and take away the couple's three children - who had slept through the attack in another bedroom.

He then called another sister, who rang the police.

After being arrested, he said to officers: "Did I kill her? I must have done as I was the only person there."

Last night, Maria Jones' father, Ron Phillips, said he was outraged that Jones, 40, remained suspended on full pay since his arrest on December 2 last year - even though he quickly indicated that he was responsible for the killing.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said that his pay was stopped last week when he was convicted.

Mr Phillips told The Northern Echo that he was angry that Jones had, until recently, been able to draw full pay and that he was still entitled to a police pension.

"It cannot be right that he should have received and continues to receive public money in this way," he said.

"As for his pension, there shouldn't be public money to fund it - give him back solely the contributions he paid less the income tax he should have paid."

June Homer, a member of the Teesside branch of the organisation Support After Murder and Manslaughter, said: "He is a killer and should have every right taken away from him, including his pension."

Officers may lose some or all of their pension if it can be proved they have been engaged in criminal activities during their service.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police confirmed that Jones had yet to resign from the force, although his pay was stopped on the day of his conviction.

She said: "If he does not resign of his own free will, a disciplinary hearing will be held to secure his dismissal."

PC Grant Thorburn, of the Cleveland Police Federation, said it could make no comment at this stage with disciplinary proceedings pending.