A CIVILIAN operator at Trowbridge police station has been disciplined following an internal investigation into their handling of a complaint.

The investigation was ordered in August after police received complaints about an operator's handling of a mugging incident.

Mary Kimber, 41, of Steeple Ashton spoke out against the initial handling of the violent mugging, in which her 17 year-old son was badly beaten up and his trainers stolen.

Doug McCormick was walking home with his friend Simon Cooper, 17, after a night out in Trowbridge, when a gang of youths attacked them near Yerbury Street and stole his pair of £60 Nike trainers, leaving him with two broken ribs and bruising to the jaw and head.

Trowbridge police launched a full investigation into the incident and recovered the trainers earlier this month.

They have also charged a 17 year-old Trowbridge youth with the mugging.

Although civilian operators are employed by Wiltshire Constabulary, they are not classed as police officers and therefore not subjected to the police disciplinary processes, which are notoriously harsh.

Insp Fraser Howorth, of Trowbridge police, said the complaints were only against the initial contact with the operator and not about the police investigation as a whole.

He said: "A civilian operator at the police station has received disciplinary action in the form of a written warning.

"I was happy all along with the investigation, it just got off to a bad start.

"We have detected the crime and retrieved the training shoes and are extremely pleased with the police action taken.

"The feedback I have had from the family is that they were very pleased with the investigation.

"When complaints are made they are properly investigated.

"This incident was thoroughly investigated and it was brought to a good and very satisfactory conclusion."