Det Chief Supt Tim Mairs spoke to BBC News following reports that there was a 31 per cent year-on-year increase in paramilitary attacks in the first half of 2017.

Mr Mairs said: “As a police officer I am deeply frustrated and angry that these numbers keep increasing, we want to get more people charged and before the courts.

“Let’s be clear, the people who are responsible are those who think they have the authority to torture and abuse people, especially the most vulnerable.

“But when you hear about people willingly turning up to accept a so-called punishment it really feels like there’s a level of coercion and acceptance.

“We know that some of these groups do this because they believe they have community consent.”

Youth worker Paul Smyth told BBC News that paramilitaries are “exploiting a political vacuum” created by the collapse of Stormont.