The courts have to protect doctors and other professionals serving the public from violence

Judge Scott Wolstenholme, Bradford Crown Court

The couple wanted to use the sicknote as part of a claim for incapacity benefit.

Roy admitted visiting the GP on the day of the assault. He claimed he only punched Dr Sullivan after the doctor had raised his clenched fists.

Dr Sullivan rejected claims that he had lost his temper or raised his fists. He suffered a blackened eye and a cut to his nose.

Judge Scott Wolstenholme said the health service staff had to be protected from violence in the workplace.

"The courts have to protect doctors and other professionals serving the public from violence and as your counsel recognises there has to be a custodial sentence in this case."

He added that the court had taken the medical problems of Roy and his wife into account before deciding the sentence.

"It is the fact of imprisonment rather than its length in this case," he said.

The Department of Health has consistently said that violence against NHS is intolerable.

Hospitals across the country have introduced policys to encourage staff to report assaults by patients.