A SENIOR police officer has visited a medical centre that treats sexual assault victims.

Wiltshire's Assistant Chief Constable Peter Vaughan went to the Sexual Assault Referral Centre, which operates from Taw Hill Medical Practice, in North Swindon.

During normal working hours a victim is examined at Swindon Police Station.

The Sanctuary at Taw Hill deals people who allege a sexual crime has taken place when normal surgeries a closed.

And now ACC Vaughan is looking to develop the Sanctuary further so it can treat sexual assault victims 24 hours a day.

He said: "It is always difficult if a victim has to come to the police station.

"If they go to the Sanctuary they are seen by health care professional who are on hand to deal with all aspects from the forensic medical examination to health matters and trauma.

"The whole environment is less intimidating for the victim. The victim is high on the agenda of Wiltshire Police and the Sanctuary Project is a positive step forward for the care of victims of sexual assault.

"Currently we don't have enough funding for the Sanctuary to be a full time project.

"We are exploring ways to make it a 24-hour facility."

Dr Peter Crouch, the medical director of the Sanctuary said last year the centre treated 61 victims of sexual assault men, women and children.

He said: "We would love it if we could offer this service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

"It seems crazy offering one service during the day and a different one during the night.

"We have had no specific Home Office funding for the project but Swindon MP Julia Drown has been supportive in trying to attract central Government funding."

Bhavani Vadde