Dr Victoria Hunter was treating a patient when Steven Cook, 41, barged in
By Rob Pattinson A SON who believed his late dad was misdiagnosed burst into a surgery and battered a doctor in front of another patient.
Steven Cook, 41, burst into Dr Victoria Hunter’s treatment room and punched her believing she had failed to spot his dad had motor neurone disease.
He hit the GP in the face five times as she tried to hit a panic button.
The medic was left with a suspected fractured jaw as her patient fled the room. Prosecutor Richard Murrison told magistrates in Ipswich: “She curled into a ball on the floor and screamed for help.
“She said the assault felt like it lasted two or three minutes before the defendant left the room.
Colleagues rushed to the injured GP’s aid while an ambulance was called to the Victoria Surgery, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
Dr Hunter’s injuries included a displaced front tooth, cuts to her lips, swelling to her face and a suspected jaw fracture. The GP who is believed to be aged in her 40s also suffered grazing to an elbow and bruises on an arm in the attack at around 10.10am on Monday.
Mr Murrison added: “She will require several days off work and has been left feeling scared.
“The incident arose from some kind of grudge about treatment received by his father.”
“This was someone in the workplace, going about their job.”
Armed police were sent to the surgery after a member of the public dialled 999, saying they thought Cook had a weapon in a bag.
But he was arrested at the scene by unarmed officers and no weapon was found on him.
A National Police Air Service helicopter was also sent to the surgery before being stood down.
Cook of Bury St Edmunds told police that his attack was “an act of retribution” after the death of his dad, earlier this month, who was treated by Dr Hunter.
Mark Thompson, defending, said Cook had noticed an “immediate deterioration” in his father’s health after being prescribed statins for high cholesterol two-years-ago.
“He was of the belief his father was developing motor neurone disease and tried to persuade the doctor to take his father off statins,” said Mr Thompson.
“It turns out Mr Cook was admitted to hospital two or three weeks ago and died on June 9.
“Mr Cook said he was told his father did have motor neurone disease. To him, it seemed all the concerns about statins were supported by the diagnosis.
“He went to the surgery to speak to staff, but admits he just lost it.”
Jo Shaw, assistant practice manager at the Victoria Surgery which has nine GPs and 11,000 patients, said: “Our staff work hard and any assault on them is never acceptable.”
A spokesman for NHS West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group added: “We can confirm that there was an incident at Victoria Surgery in Bury St Edmunds.”
Cook, of Bury St Edmunds, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and was remanded in custody to be sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court, on a date to be fixed.