THERE is something particularly disgusting about individuals who attack and abuse medical staff.

Serge Van Den Heerik is one such specimen.

After drinking all day and being admitted to the Royal Bournemouth when appearing to suffer a seizure, he punched a doctor, bit a staff nurse and then spat at her, saying: “Now you have Aids.”

Health professionals suffered a staggering 61,571 assaults in 2012/13. They are people doing a vital public service.

The criminal justice system would be doing a public service too if they sent down people like this for a lot longer than four months.