THE account (Oxford Mail, September 13) of a police officer hitting a prisoner was horrifying.

The man, who for some unfathomable reason was named as a victim, had a record of burglary and driving offences, and of threats of self-harm and – of much greater importance – to assault police officers.

Surely, in any sane society, the officer should be given our strong gratitude. If vulnerable or, as I am, elderly, people are able to feel reasonably safe in the streets and in our homes it is because the police protect us from such criminals.

Some years ago when I lived in Bedford, a man who had stolen a car and crashed it when police followed him, climbed over and broke a neighbour’s fence and then clambered on to a small shed in my garden. Its light roof could not bear his weight and he fell into the shed and was locked in.

The police quickly collected him, but I was told by the police that there was a possibility that the criminal would sue me because of his minor cuts!

What is wrong with a society in which the criminal and the attacker of decent law-abiding families is considered to be more worthy of the protection of the law than are the victims?

NAME & ADDRESS SUPPLIED