Shropshire Star

Oswestry doctor who punched nightclub bouncer in the face escapes with warning

A doctor from Oswestry has escaped with a warning from a medical tribunal after punching a bouncer when he was ejected from a nightclub.

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Dr Sam Jones assaulted a bouncer outside a nightclub in Chester in October last year, and was subsequently given a caution by magistrates and ordered to pay £50 in compensation.

The matter was referred to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, and a tribunal this week found that despite his behaviour, Dr Jones' fitness to practice is not impaired.

However he was given a warning, with the tribunal stating his conduct did not meet that required of a doctor.

The tribunal in Manchester heard Dr Jones qualified in 2017, and has been working as a junior doctor at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

On October 1, he had been at a nightclub dancing with friends, and at one point he had a friend on his shoulders, so door staff asked both men to leave.

They were restrained, escorted down two flights of stairs, and evicted from the nightclub. Once outside, Dr Jones punched one of the doormen in the face.

He was held by door staff before being arrested and spending a night in the police cell.

Apologised

The tribunal heard how Dr Jones immediately realised he made a catastrophic error and apologised to the door staff.

He said he had an 'overwhelming sense of shame', and said he was embarrassed and humiliated about what he had done.

The report at the conclusion of the tribunal stated: "My time in the police cell will always haunt me."

He said he was not a violent person and that, by his act, he had let himself and his family down.

Dr Jones said: "My actions were childish, irresponsible, and far below the standard expected of me as a doctor."

A number of references were given in his favour, before the tribunal determined that his fitness to practice is not currently impaired.

However, he was issued with a warning, which stated: "This conduct does not meet the standards required of a doctor.

"It risks bringing the profession into disrepute and it must not be repeated."

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