Police have answered a claim by MP Damian Green that a yob was let go because officers didn’t have time to process his arrest.

The Ashford MP said a swearing, drunken lout walked free because they could not spare the three men and five hours to process the arrest.

But Kent Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge insisted the task only takes one officer half an hour.

He said: “From research we have carried out as a force it takes one officer, on average, half an hour to process an individual through custody.”

Mr Green said he had come across the incident while out on a weekend patrol with a police unit.

He explained police had come across the man causing a disturbance in an Ashford High Street pub and said they had successfully calmed him down but let him leave.

Mr Beautridge went on: “We will be liaising with Mr Green to establish what happened on the night he has made a reference to.

“I would like to reassure the public in Ashford in any 24-hour period Kent Police in Ashford has a response team that includes police constables and sergeants.

“In addition to this there is a dedicated Neighbourhood Task Team and a tactical team, which covers three towns, one of which is Ashford.

“There is always a police response available to deal with issues at Ashford and all other parts of Kent.”