Acting National Chair Tiff Lynch said: "The Police Federation of England and Wales endorses and supports Dorset Police Federation’s statement in respect of the Lorne Castle case.

"We are deeply concerned by Dorset Police’s decision to publish without context footage from the incident over which Lorne was dismissed from the force and barred from serving as a police officer.

"While we acknowledge the level of public interest in this case, Lorne has the right to appeal the decision and it’s critical that if he does an appeal is heard fairly and impartially.

"Dorset Police must now release further evidence from witnesses to the incident including the wider circumstances of criminal incidents in the area in the previous days, the briefings officers had coming on-shift that day, the 999 call about the incident and any and all CCTV footage that exists.

"We stand firmly behind the principle that police should be held to the highest of standards but those standards must be applied with fairness, proportionality, and a genuine understanding of the realities of a difficult and dangerous job.

"Police officers are overworked, underpaid and increasingly under threat. Ten thousand of them will walk away from the job every year by 2027 because they have copped enough and more than 40,000 are assaulted every year.

"Anyone concerned about public safety here and now needs to reflect on what their community will look like if the exodus of experienced officers is allowed to continue.

"For obvious reasons we cannot comment further on the circumstances in this case but continue to support Lorne as we would any other member."