A THUG has been jailed after he punched a doctor in the face as he was treating coronavirus patients at a hospital’s Accident and Emergency department.

Gareth Rudge attacked the medic at Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital at around 12.50am on Friday, April 10.

Despite being assaulted, the courageous doctor continued his shift.

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Rudge, 34, of no fixed abode, was jailed for six months after he pleaded guilty to the assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Speaking outside Cardiff Magistrates’ Court, Police Constable Sam Louros, the officer in the case, condemned the attack: “Assaults on emergency service workers should never be tolerated.

“Emergency service personnel come to work to protect and help those in need – not to be assaulted.

“The doctor is working in the middle of a pandemic, helping those in our society who desperately need medical assistance.

“He was assaulted while carrying out his public duty and continued his shift after the incident, caring for those who require it.

“This sentence shows that incidents such as this are totally unacceptable and there can be no excuse whatsoever for assaulting emergency workers.”