A RECENT study concluding that CCTV cameras do not act as a deterrent against drunken street violence has been supported by Test Valley Borough Council's community safety manager Melvin Hartley.

Research by the University Hospital of Wales concludes that there is no evidence of surveillance systems, such as the one used in Andover town centre, having a deterrent effect.

It was installed eight years ago.

The study compares reports of street violence in towns where CCTV was installed with towns which had no surveillance cameras. Casualty department records for the treatments of assaults were then examined.

Evidence from Andover's CCTV system was used in court to prosecute a woman in August 2001 for ramming another woman's car from a parking space.

But the report on CCTV, published in the journal Injury Prevention, says that although people are not put off from committing violent or dangerous acts by CCTV, it has reduced the severity of injuries suffered.

Melvin Hartley, said: "People wrongly think CCTV acts as a deterrent for crime.

"CCTV is one of a number of tactics we can use to reduce crime or help to detect it.

"But many crimes would have gone undetected if it were not for us having CCTV footage.

"It gives the police a quick response time to crimes and tells them exactly what resources they need to deal with an incident.

"In my opinion, it has to make people think twice before they start a fight, because they will be found out."