HOSPITAL bosses have vowed threatening behaviour towards staff will not be tolerated after a man was jailed for eight months for assaulting an A&E doctor.

Wayne David Murphy, 32, of Bradbury Road, Winsford, was jailed on Wednesday for actual bodily harm on a doctor at Leighton Hospital.

Chester Crown Court heard Murphy had taken cocaine, temazepam and alcohol when he attacked the doctor, headbutting him then pulling his tie around his neck, making it difficult to breathe.

Judge Roger Dutton said: 'Those working within the public services have a lot to put up with; they do it mostly uncomplaining. They get little thanks, but when they are assaulted that will be treated with severity by the courts.'

Bosses at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust welcomed the sentence. They said the trust operates a strict zero tolerance policy when a member of staff is abused physically or verbally, and works closely with Cheshire police to take strong, relevant action in every instance.

This can range from a verbal or written warning to withdrawing treatment, up to the ultimate sanction of pressing criminal charges.

Diane Chinn, the trust's security management specialist, said: 'Cases such as this one send out a strong message that attacks on NHS staff in any form are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

'Everyone has a right to go about their work free from the fear of attack or threatening behaviour, and that is a right we are committed to protecting. To that end we have an ongoing programme of conflict resolution training, helping staff to diffuse a potentially serious situation.'

A spokesman for the NHS Security Management Service added: 'We hope this sentence will cause others to think twice before displaying this kind of abusive behaviour aimed at NHS staff members.'