TWO Devizes men have been sent to prison after what a Crown Court judge called "disgraceful attacks" on police.

Paul Foster, 21, of Mayenne Place, Devizes, and Stephen Diffey, 19, of Tobacco Buildings, Devizes, assaulted PCs Karl Broadhead and Angela Bryant as the officers were investigating an allegation that they had knives on them.

At Salisbury Crown Court on Friday, Recorder Michael Vere-Hodge QC told them: "I have to reflect a deterrent element in the sentence."

He said it was "quite disgraceful" the police officers were attacked as they tried to carry out their duty.

Foster and Diffey both admitted having with him a kitchen knife and assaulting the two police officers last September.

Foster, on his own, also admitted grievous bodily harm on Richard Wilson last July.

Julie Mackenzie, prosecuting, said the pair became abusive and a struggle broke out when the officers approached them in a Devizes car park.

Interviewed later Diffey said he could not remember much about the incident, but he said he had been in a really foul mood that day.

Foster claimed he had been drunk but remembered fighting with the police.

He said there was a massive struggle with police and he just dived in.

The assault on Mr Wilson happened when Foster thought the man had made unwelcome advances to his girlfriend.

He went to Mr Wilson's home and punched him until his arms ached, breaking his victim's jaw in three places.

Foster was sent to prison for 12 months for what the Recorder called an appalling attack, with six months, consecutively, for the incident at the car park.

Diffey was sentenced to six months' at a young offenders' institution.

Speaking this week PC Broadhead, who is a probationer, explained how the incident with Foster and Diffey escalated.

He and WPC Bryant were first on the scene at the West Central car park to follow up reports that people had knives with them.

"WPC Bryant and myself went to speak to Mr Foster and Mr Diffey. They were abusive and swore at us," said PC Broadhead.

"We gave them a warning but they carried on being abusive and we told them we were going to arrest them.

"Then each one of them jumped on us and we fell against the police car."

PC Broadhead had hold of Foster who punched him in the face and arm, and at one stage the cord of his microphone was pulled across his neck.

Meanwhile WPC Bryant was attempting to arrest Diffey, but he punched her in the face and then ran off. She went to help PC Broadhead but was kicked in the face by Foster.

More police officers quickly arrived to help and Foster and Diffey were detained nearby.

No knives were found on the men by the police but two knives were recovered the following day.

PC Broadhead, 35, who was recently honoured for saving a man from drowning in the Kennet and Avon Canal last May, said: "It was probably the most aggressive incident I have dealt with.

"What was so surprising was how quickly it happened. We went to arrest them and they just went at us. Although I was punched a few times there wasn't any real force in the punches but Angie (Bryant) came off worse."

Sgt Guy Williams, who arrived at the scene to help the officers, said: "It was a very serious incident and it could have been a lot worse.

"It highlights that sometimes we don't know what we can expect when we attend an incident. The only saving grace is that we routinely wear stab resistant vests. Although the defendants didn't have knives at the time they were prepared to assault police."