AN ASSAULT is carried out on police officers in Swindon and Wiltshire once a week on average - recent figures show 275 assaults over the last four years.

In the 12 months up to March of this year, 70 assaults against officers were recorded within the force area.

A total of 102 assaults without causing injury, which include spitting, have also occurred over the year.

Figures have seen a slight rise since 2011, with 63 assaults on officers in the period to 2012.

Assaults on police officers fall under the remit of the Police Act 1996, which characterises it as equivalent to common assault on a member of the public and is punishable by up to six months in prison.

In some of the more recent local cases, four police officers were injured, one being struck on the head with a brick, during clashes at an illegal rave in a warehouse at the River Ray Industrial Estate in March.

And this week Jack Ayres was jailed for eight months after four assaults on police within four months, the first of which involved head butting an officer at Rift nightclub.

Wiltshire Police have said they take a robust attitude towards any offenders and moved to reassure people Wiltshire remains one of the safest counties in the UK.

Chief Constable Mike Veale said: “Officers all too often have to deal with conflict and danger which can arise out of any incident.

"Our officers are annually trained to a high level and will do all that we are able to, to resolve these situations safely – but as these figures suggest, that cannot always be achieved.

“I pay tribute to our officers and staff who use their communication skills, training and safety equipment to de-escalate incidents and I am pleased to say that very few of these end in an officer being assaulted.

“Assaults on police officers and any member of the public are completely unacceptable. In order to ensure our officers and staff remain safe, I will continue to ensure Wiltshire Police always carry out a thorough and extensive investigation when an officer is assaulted to ensure those responsible will be brought to justice.

“Officers and staff put themselves in dangerous situations on a daily basis to protect the public in our county and I am always incredibly impressed with the lengths that they will go to by putting themselves on the line to keep people safe.”

Mike White, chairman of the Wiltshire Police Federation, said: “We believe there is significant under-reporting of this issue and the way in which figures are collected is quite haphazard.

“Sadly over the years officers have been forced to accept this as a normal part of their job.”