Scottish Police Federation members have called for early release policies to be reviewed after a man who stabbed a policewoman was released from jail.

Martin Wood was locked up for 12 months for the attack on Tayside officer Pc Shirley Tindal in Dundee.

But it has emerged that Wood had been released after serving 17 weeks of his sentence.

The Tayside branch of the SPF said the judiciary needed to reconsider its early release policies.

Sgt Malcolm Gibbs, branch secretary, said: "It is very rare for us to comment on a sentence, but we have to try and reduce the number of assaults on police officers.

"One way to do this is to send out a strong message to the public that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated."

He added: "Someone being released after serving only four months of a year-long prison sentence is sending out entirely the wrong message and belittling the force.

"Our officers deserve more protection. Early release systems need to be reconsidered."

Wood, 35, attacked police officers when they were called to his home in the Lochee area of Dundee last year.

During a struggle, the civil servant stabbed Pc Tindal on the head.

Sgt Gibbs, who has been a serving police officer for 26 years, said it was "sheer chance" that the officer had not received more serious injuries.

"We police the streets with the consent of the vast majority," he added.

"It is only right that officers should do so in the knowledge that they are considered worthy of the full protection of the law in the event of an assault."

A spokesperson for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said they did not comment on individual cases.