A doctor faces being banned from treating patients after putting £1 in his ex-girlfriend's bank account in a revenge campaign after he lost job for attacking her, a tribunal heard.

Dr William Fleming, 30, had been suspended from practising medicine after he got drunk and repeatedly struck his victim when he discovered they were splitting up.

But although a disciplinary panel lifted the suspension after just 18 months, Fleming harboured "feelings of loss, anger and resentment" and within two weeks of being allowed back to work, menaced the same woman again over the internet, the hearing was told.

He ignored a three-year restraining order banning him from contacting the woman and began following her on the social media site Pinterest, it was said.

The unnamed woman - known as Ms A - tried to block him, but police were called when Fleming who had kept his ex-girlfriend's online bank details, deposited £1 into her account.

It emerged in the preceding months when he was battling to get his job back that Fleming posted 18 messages to the woman's sister on Facebook warning he would "make it his mission to seek revenge".

He added: "Your sibling owes me at least £300... lucky I'm a nice guy and won't press charges. I want a communication from your sister, at least an apology."

In a statement, Ms A said: "The attack I experienced was very unpleasant. I just want nothing to do with him. I spent a lot of time upset after the assault. I suffered nightmares and don't want to bring this all back - it's bad enough him contacting me."