A NUMBER of issues are remarkable about Sussex Police’s response to the scandal of the spit hood used on an 11-year-old disabled girl.

The Argus revealed earlier this year that in 2012 the girl had been arrested under the Mental Health Act.

She was placed in a mesh “spit hood” which stops projectile phlegm hitting officers, handcuffed and her legs were strapped. She was left in custody for a total of 60 hours without an appropriate adult.

So far, so bad.

But the police’s attitude to this case has been unnecessarily defensive all along. That of the Sussex Police Federation even worse.

An overzealous and unnecessary restraint was used on the girl and common sense should have told the force to say so straight away.

Instead, despite the police watchdog finding that six custody officers had a misconduct case to answer, they were given “management advice” instead.

The message sent out was clear – the force did not agree with the watchdog.

Now we discover the force is finally and far, far too late going to apologise to the girl and her mother.

But what is worse is Sussex Police says its policy on spit hoods remains.

In other words it would do the same again to a child if it thought it necessary.

This is a step too far and horrific for parents whose children may be subjected to them.

Such intransigence serves Sussex poorly.

If the force won’t act to stamp out such practices, including the use of police cells for children, the law makers should intervene.