An ER doctor in Florida has been arrested for repeatedly hitting a semi-conscious woman in the face because he thought she was faking her condition.

Officers from the Leesburg Police Department in Lake County in the US state of Florida were called to the UF Health Leesburg Hospital at around 8am on 16th February concerning a report of battery on a patient.

Officers said the suspect, named as 44-year-old Dr Onyekachi Nwabuko, was caring for an unresponsive woman in the emergency unit.

He reportedly suspected that the woman was faking her condition and used her own hand to hit her face before leaving the room and returning to repeatedly hit her again.

A hospital worker told the police that it is common for doctors to drop a patient’s hand over their face to establish whether they are pretending to be ill, as they will often move away or prevent it from hitting them.

A witness told the police: “He then began striking the victim a third time with her hand. She stated she could again see the victim resisting the actions, but the doctor became angry, striking the victim harder.”

The arrest warrant stated that the patient’s IV tube was ripped from her arm and she started to bleed on herself.

The woman told officers that she was semi-conscious at the time and could not resist the doctor’s strength or speak to tell him to stop.

She also claimed that she could hear him mocking and laughing at her.

According to the police, the victim sustained substantial bruising, swelling, and redness to her left eye.

The doctor is facing charges for three counts of battery as the investigation continues.