JUSTICE minister Cathy Jamieson today delivered a warning to disruptive protesters planning to attend the G8 summit that Scottish police officers were "not a soft touch".

Her comments came before she was due to give full backing to officers at the annual Scottish Police Federation conference in the run-up to the July summit.

The minister said police at the event in Gleneagles and at protests in Edinburgh would be flexible and sensitive, but added that anybody who stepped out of line would be "made to face the consequences".

Ms Jamieson's speech at Peebles comes after Annabelle Ewing, who is contesting the Ochil and South Perthshire seat for the SNP in the General Election, claimed earlier this month that "a fringe element" of protesters may try to close the main A9 road which runs close to the summit venue.

And during a Scottish Parliament debate in March, Perth SNP MSP Roseanna Cunningham controversially raised concern about the policing operation.

Ms Jamieson said: "The G8 summit will represent an opportunity to showcase everything that is good about our country, including our first-class police service.

"The pressures on Scotland's police will be immense, and we know that some of those who are coming to Scotland may be intent on causing harm.

"But nobody should be under any illusions - the Scottish police service is not a soft touch and anybody who steps out of line will be made to face the consequences."

Ms Jamieson said she believed Scotland had the police to deal effectively with the challenge.