A ex-serviceman says he was “shocked” to see two police officers escort a drunk man out of a job centre “by the scruff of his neck” before "dumping" him on the ground outside.

But police say the man did not require medical assistance and he was “capable” of making his own decisions.

Officers were called to the job centre in Elstree Way, Borehamwood, shortly before 10am on September 28 to reports a man was refusing to leave the site and had fallen asleep on the sofa.

Police arrived and encouraged the man to leave, before he was assessed and it was established that he was fine and conscious.

The man was taken out and left on the ground.

Opposite, David Try, 70, who works as a crane operator at a building development, looked on in “disgust” as he saw the two officers drive off.

He said: “I saw the man being evicted from the job centre by the scruff of his neck. He was left shivering on the ground and he looked ill. He is still a human being. I know resources are stretched but you don’t just do that. The police just disappeared.”

Some firemen, based next door, came out and offered the man aid and blankets, before an ambulance arrived an hour later. However, paramedics decided that no medical assistance was required.

Mr Try continued: “I’m an ex-soldier. Someone in that state would have been taken to the barracks. This man was not violent but he should have been taken to a cell to sober up. There is no reason why officers couldn’t have done this.

“The man was left by the side of the road. He could have rolled into the road for all we know. You just don’t treat someone like that. It was shocking.”

Police were called to the same area once again at 2.10pm after a member of the public called concerned about a man. It was the same man, still drunk, but it was established again that he did not require medical assistance.

Inspector Pete Edwards, from the Hertsmere Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “Officers are trained to carry out threat, harm and risk assessments and in this case it was deemed that the man did not require police assistance or medical intervention.”