Judith Collins

Wellington, March 28 NZPA - Youths are attacking police officers because they believe their age protects them from the law, Police Minister Judith Collins said today

The alleged principal of a pack of youths who attacked two police officers in the Waikato town of Ngaruawahia early yesterday will appear in Hamilton District Court tomorrow.

The 17-year-old faces three charges of injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Police said to today that it was initially thought that the teenager was 15 but it had since emerged that he had his 17th birthday the day before the attack.

This meant he would appear in the adult court rather than the Youth Court.

Meanwhile, two other youths were still helping with inquiries and further arrests were expected.

Ms Collins said the youths and others like them believed they were above the law.

"I think it has got something to do with a very violent group of young people, fortunately only a small number, given alcohol and drugs by their family and friends, and they get out of control," Ms Collins said.

"They think police can't touch them because of their age and that is what the police who have been attacked advised me."

Youth offenders would benefit from the Government's plans to introduce boot camp style sentencing for the worst youth offenders, she said.

"Many of these people are coming from gang households and just bad households, they see a lack of respect for other and know no better.

"The problem is amongst a particular set of groups who know everything about their rights and think police won't touch them. As 15 and 16 year olds they know police are loathe to harm them and they think are above the law."

The officers attacked in Ngaruawahia used pepper spray to defend themselves.

One was allegedly hit on the back of the head with a pool cue, suffering what appeared to be a fractured eye socket with internal bleeding in his eye, while his colleague suffered a serious fracture to his hand.

Both officers were treated at Waikato Hospital before being discharged.

Attacks on police are increasingly common; last month, there were three attack on officers in just three days.

The Government has been looking at introducing tougher sentences for assaults on police officers.