Responding to the Community Minister's announcement of additional funding to combat alcohol related violence over the festive period, Liberal Democrat Justice spokesperson Robert Brown MSP called for high profile policing to become the norm, not the exception to the rule.

Commenting, Mr Brown said:

"The type of high profile policing that we see over the festive period should not be the exception to the rule. We need more police on our streets, not sitting in an office making up the numbers.

"We should encourage the use of existing powers all year round so that the vast majority who simply want to enjoy an evening out, be it over Christmas or any night of the year, are protected from the minority who base a good night out on how much booze they can binge on."