Sunderland man punched doctor who smiled at him in A&E

Dominic Goldsmith, 20, of Sunderland YMCA, in Toward Street, Hendon, struck the medic believing he was being mocked, a court heard.

In fact, the jobless lout had misread signs of camaraderie between the doctor and a nurse at Sunderland Royal Hospital on August 29.

He has now been handed a six-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, for the unprovoked assault – and must pay his victim compensation.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Kathryn Meek told him: “There’s no doubt in my mind that it must be a custodial sentence.

“The offence of assault on a doctor and your behaviour in the hospital is so serious that that must be so.”

She suspended the sentence, due to Goldsmith, who appeared in court via video link, committing no further acts of violence since his arrest.

However, she dismissed defence claims his offending was spurred by mental health issues, instead saying they were caused by his booze and drug taking, highlighted in a court medical report.

Prosecutor Lorna Rimell said: “The defendant has come out of a room to see the doctor smiling and has taken exception to this.

“He’s asked him to stop smiling and has followed the doctor and has thrown a few punches and one has connected with the left side of his face.

“A nurse has also reported the defendant saying, ‘I’ll get you, I’ll get you’, and he’s lunged for the doctor.

“He’s shown out but comes back about one hour later, swinging his crutches around and is escorted from the hospital.

“The police then find cannabis down his underpants that he admits immediately is for his own use.”

Goldsmith pleaded guilty to assault and possession of cannabis, and to resisting arrest on November 18, disorderly behaviour at Pelaw Metro station, Gateshead, on February 17, and to two charges of failing to surrender to custody.

Jason Smith, defending, said: “He’s been in and out of section. He’s been assessed and reassessed by mental health people for many years.

“He was taken to the hospital, there was a suspicion that he’d had a drink spiked.

“There’s nothing that I can say that can justify his actions in the hospital other than to say that he’s extremely sorry. He regrets what happened.

“He didn’t read the scenario that was going on in front of him. He thought that the hospital staff were being disparaging to him.

“The doctor speaks to the nurse, there’s an exchange between the doctor and the nurse and then there’s smiles.”

Goldsmith must pay the doctor £250 compensation and undertake 30 days of rehabilitation work with the Probation Service.

The court also made him subject of a 7pm to 7am electronically monitored curfew which will last until July 29, and he must pay £150 court costs and a £122 victim surcharge.

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