Kung Fu GP tackles kickboxer burglar

Bungling drug addict Gary King, 23, met more than his match when he came face to face with father-of-six Dr David Dutchman.

Dr Dutchman, 48, confronted the intruder when he caught him stealing his laptop one lunchtime in February at the Roebuck surgery in High Street.

King, a long time drug abuser, threatened to stab the doctor with a syringe during a struggle. But the GP disarmed him with a kick and pinned him to the floor with the help of patient Jason Wheeler, a security guard by trade, who had raced to his assistance.

Dr Dutchman's bravery was outlined to a court as King, a former youth champion kickboxer, was jailed for 15 months for the burglary.

Prosecutor Wayne Barnes told Lewes Crown Court: "Dr Dutchman was working in a nearby treatment room and returned to his office to find Mr King with his laptop in his hand.

"The defendant attempted to leave. Dr Dutchman prevented him from doing so and called for help and was joined by a patient, Mr Wheeler.

"They restrained the defendant who said his arms were hurting from being restrained. The grip was loosened and the defendant struggled through and went across the room.

"He got out a syringe and made stabbing gestures towards the doctor and Mr Wheeler, saying, 'You're going to get stabbed, get out of my way'. Dr Dutchman and Mr Wheeler backed off but as the defendant reached the door Dr Dutchman kicked out with his foot.

"Once again the defendant came forward with a syringe and made stabbing gestures but this time the doctor kicked the syringe out of King's hand. Dr Dutchman and Mr Wheeler restrained King until police arrived and he was arrested."

King, of Messens Farm, Potmans Lane, Bexhill, pleaded guilty to burglary and affray and the court heard he has 12 previous convictions for 26 offences including burglary and assault.

Rebecca Upton, defending, said King, who grew up in North London, had been a former champion kickboxer as a youth but started taking cannabis at 15 and ecstasy, cocaine and heroin at 19.

She said: "There was a struggle during which he accepts having a syringe and waving it around and making threats. He said he did that to protect himself although he accepts that the doctor and Mr Wheeler had no idea of his intentions.

"He was offending to fund his drug misuse which was a problem for him at the time. He asks me to express his remorse."

Jailing King, Judge Anthony Scott-Gall told him: "You went into a doctor's surgery with the intention to steal property. In the process of trying to remove the doctor's laptop computer you were confronted by him.

"There was a struggle during which you produced a syringe which must have been very frightening for the doctor. Dr Dutchman was doing no more than his job, serving the community as a GP. They deserve protection from the likes of you.

"You have a very bleak antecedent history. This offence is so serious only a custodial sentence is appropriate."

Speaking after the hearing, Dr Dutchman said he used to join in his children's martial arts classes but said the kick he used to disarm King "wasn't any Kung Fu or Roundhouse or whatever".

He said: "I just want to put it behind me. I dealt with it by myself and with a patient who was in the waiting room at the time. It was very disruptive at the time and very stressful. I'm sure the courts have applied the appropriate sentence. It was a needle and syringe which he brought in with him. My concern was it was infected with hepatitis or HIV.

"Initially I just restrained him then I was assisted by Mr Wheeler. The two of us pulled him down while one of my secretaries called the police. We made the mistake of listening to him saying, 'Let me go, you're hurting me'. So we let him get up and he walked towards the window and put his hand in the his pocket and turned round with a syringe and needle in it.

"He said, `I'm going to f***ing stab you. Get the f*** out of here'. He then went towards me. At that point I did what I needed to get him away from me and gave him a quick clip round the face. He was behind the door swearing and cursing and came back at me and that is when I kicked the syringe out of his hand.

"I'm used to a bit of sparring and I can handle myself. Five years ago I used to take the kids to martial arts starting with karate and then moving on to Kung Fu. Instead of dropping them off then going home and picking them up I used to join in. I think I'm fairly resilient."

Dr Dutchman said his laptop contained vital work for a clinical research study. He added: "I had 20 people in the waiting room including vulnerable people and children. I had no idea what his intentions were.

"It was no less a risk than if he had a knife and I got stabbed because if he had an infected needle I could have got hepatitis or HIV which could have killed me or laid me off for a long time. I don't know what would have happened if Mr Wheeler had not helped me."

Security guard Mr Wheeler, 30, said: "I was in the surgery downstairs and I heard what sounded like a scuffle. I went upstairs and the doctor was trying to hold the chap. He was shouting 'He's trying to take my laptop!'.

"We were both trying to hold him back but he kept fighting. We got him to the floor then the police arrived. He's a very good doctor and you don't expect him to have to deal with something like this in his own surgery. It's disgusting what that chap did."