A Wiltshire doctor has been suspended for 12 months after he was ruled to have punched a nurse in the face multiple times.

Last year Dr Paul Crocker, of the Bradford on Avon and Melksham Health Partnership, accepted a police caution for assaulting an emergency worker by beating on May 11.

In November, a Medical Practitioners Tribunal determined if Dr Crocker, who retired from active practice after the incident, would be erased from the medical register.

The tribunal found Dr Crocker “deliberately” punched an emergency nurse practitioner in the face multiple times during an incident in the health centre examination room.

The panel heard the anonymous victim, referred to as Ms A, had been seeing an undressed patient along with Ms B, a senior practice nurse when Dr Crocker tried to gain entry.

Their witness accounts claimed they shouted for him to not come in before closing the door to prevent him from doing so.

Once the patient had left, Dr Crocker reacted “very badly” to this incident.

READ MORE: Town centre streets to close with 'delays likely'

A witness statement provided by Ms A described how Dr Crocker raised his fists before repeatedly striking her in the face.

She said: “He punched me to the face with both of his fists twice, hitting me in the nose and mouth.

“As he was punching me, he said ‘This is what it feels like when somebody shuts a door in your face.’

“He was clearly angry when he said this, he was very abrupt, loud and aggressive. I didn’t see this coming at all.”

Ms A added her nose started bleeding and she remained “traumatised” by the incident over a year on.

This account was supported by Ms B who described Dr Crocker as “revved up.”

She added: “He hit Ms A in the face with his fists two times.

“He hit her in the nose, and it immediately started bleeding.

“The blood from Ms A’s nose was visible on the medical mask that she had been wearing throughout the appointment straight away.”

Dr Crocker’s GMC witness statement claimed he was concerned because the door “narrowly missed” his face when it was shut.

He told the tribunal he had “unintentionally” struck Ms A because his hands were shaking due to his emotion and frustration.

He said: “Once in the room, I was shaking my forearms in sheer frustration at events and initially hit the edge of the sink in distress.

“Having walked up to Ms A I laid the back of both my hands on her cheekbone areas and said to her words to the effect of ‘this is what it feels like.’

“With my hands laid on the back of Ms A’s cheekbones and with my hands shaking I unintentionally struck her twice on the face with the back of both hands causing her nose to bleed.”

Another member of staff, referred to as Ms C, told police Dr Crocker informed her he had “punched” Ms A shortly after the incident.

SEE ALSO: New plans revealed for former NHS HQ earmarked for demolition

The tribunal determined there were “significant inconsistencies” in Dr Crocker’s account.

Chair Duncan Ritchie ruled: “The Tribunal determined that Dr Crocker entered the examination room in a state of anger, having lost his temper as a result of having a door closed in his face.

“He then punched Ms A twice in the face with both fists simultaneously, thereby causing injuries to Ms A’s nose and mouth.

“The Tribunal did not consider that the assault was premeditated or that Dr Crocker gave any thought at the time to what harm may be caused by his actions.”

The tribunal acknowledged the fact Dr Crocker immediately sought to apologise and had been dealing with “work-related stress.”

He was suspended for 12 months and not removed from the medical register.