A man with a personality disorder has been jailed for four months for assaulting a doctor at his Clacton surgery and a patient who intervened.

Peter Harris, of Knox Court, Old Road, Clacton, walked into Dr John Weir's practice in Wellesley Road in January and assaulted him.

He later kicked and punched Simon Weeks as he walked towards his car after helping the GP in the struggle.

Colchester magistrates heard on Friday Harris had taken the morphine substitute pethidine and drunk alcohol at the time.

Harris, 52, a patient at the surgery, admitted two charges of common assault at a previous hearing and was before magistrates for sentence.

He was jailed for four months, half suspended.

Claire Cannon, prosecuting, said Harris pushed past Mr Weeks as he walked into Dr Weir's consulting room and shut the door behind him.

Once inside, he began to stare at the GP menacingly and said: "Look at the state you've got me into."

As Dr Weir called reception, Harris grabbed the phone and the doctor's stethoscope.

"The doctor felt threatened as he was staring at him and was looking aggressive. He thought he was going to be hit with the telephone," she added.

Police were called after Harris was ushered outside the room and Mr Weeks helped Dr Weir take Harris outside the surgery.

The court was told as Mr Weeks walked towards his car he was followed by Harris who "without warning" kicked him in the thigh and punched him twice, leaving him with a bloodied lip.

Paul Torn, mitigating, said Harris had been diagnosed as having a personality disorder and boosted the effects of the pethidine - he was known to take up to 105 tablets a week -with alcohol.

Mr Torn added the drug had been prescribed following a road accident and Harris partly blamed the medical profession for his addiction.

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