I DID not enjoy reading this newspaper on August 29.

The story with the headline ‘Thug jailed after attacking a police officer yet again’ makes disturbing and distressing reading.

It continues mentioning ‘weekend of violence against police in Gloucestershire’.

The man in question had received a suspended sentence for attacking two police officers earlier in the month and following his second attempt this was actioned.

He obviously had not learned from his first appearance in court from which he walked free and this raises an important question.

Was he treated too leniently?

It also makes one think are we giving the police sufficient protection.

The guilty man head-butted a male officer and lashed out at a female one, who stated she did not expect such aggression and violence.

Her colleague stated in 11 years of front line duty it was the worst assault he had experienced.

This happened in my town.

It happened in our county!

We must not shrink from this.

I said it raised questions.

Indeed the incident did, but answers must be found.

One would be to support our officers by giving stiff sentences to those who attack them.

Joshua Rayalo may not have re-offended if he had been given an actual sentence the first time he offended, rather than a suspended one.

Do we not owe this to those who we ask to uphold the law?

This is written with the Berkshire killing of a police officer very much in our minds and the challengers and dangers of a policeman’s life are much in our minds when called to an incident they never know what they may encounter.

On behalf of us all they work to keep the peace in situations that are far from peaceful.

Occasionally I give a lift to church to a distinguished gentleman who when a serving officer in Cirencester was called to a ‘domestic’ in Down Ampney.

A man with a gun opened the door.

Two dead bodies were on the floor in the hall.

This is an extreme example of what can happen but people undertaking such tasks on our behalf should be supported in every way.