In the dock: Near-naked pensioner attacks with baseball bat, bungling burglars, fly-tippers, knife fights over cider and assault of teenager

A bungling burglar got caught after he cooked and ate a meal due to a DNA sample he left on a spoon, while a pensioner was found guilty of three counts of assault for attacking people with a baseball bat in a bizarre week in the courts.

Fly-tipping was also a common theme during the last seven days along with the various cases of assault and drink-driving.

A Gloucester woman was fined hundreds of pounds for leaving black bags and household waste on her street in a case brought against her by the city council, while a 'concerned member of the public' who caught a fly-tipper in the act was hailed for bringing the culprit to justice.

Here are some of these cases that were dealt with in the courts.

‘I’m off to get my pitchfork’: The full story of Gloucestershire’s near-naked attacker

A Forest of Dean pensioner wearing nothing but boxer shorts attacked his neighbours in a dispute over a field.

John Timbrell, 76, screamed “get off my land” and threatened to use a pitchfork on Roger Jones and Andrew Reed.

Timbrell, of The Stenders in Drybrook, told Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court he was justified in striking both men with a baseball bat, as well as repeatedly pushing Mr Jones.

He argued he was merely defending the field, which is called The Prosser, from trespassers – despite admitting he does not own the deeds to the land.

The defendant denied three counts of assault, but failed to convince District Judge Joti Bopa Rai, who took no time to deliberate on her verdict – guilty of all offences.

See full story here 

Burglar cooked and ate meal while raiding Cheltenham home and was caught by DNA left on spoon

A drunken burglar had the nerve to cook and eat food in a house he was raiding in Cheltenham, a judge heard.

But the brazen act led to the downfall of Konrad Piotrowksi, 36, because he left his DNA left behind on the spoon he used for his impromptu meal.

Defence lawyer, Sarah Jenkins, representing Piotrowski at Gloucester Crown Court, described her client as 'inept'. Not only did his meal give the game away, so did the noise he made as he tried to lift a bicycle over the electric gates at the house he had burgled.

The din roused a neighbour who called the police.

See full story here

Man with more than 100 previous offences broke jaw of teenage asylum seeker playing football in park

A 28-year-old Gloucester man with a criminal record of more than 100 previous offences assaulted a 15-year-old asylum seeker, breaking his jaw in two places, a court heard.

But despite Malachi Bullock, of no fixed abode, admitting that he assaulted the boy causing him grievous bodily harm on May 1 last year, he will not serve a day longer in prison than his current sentence for earlier offences.

Bullock was jailed at Gloucester Crown Court for two years, but as he is already serving a sentence of three years and nine months for a burglary he committed last June his release date will be unaffected.

See full story here

Stonemason who 'struggles with alcohol' subjected woman to 'repeated assault' while she held toddler

A Coleford man attacked his partner just three days before he was due to be sentenced for a previous assault on her, a Gloucester judge heard.

Stonemason Philip Baker, 32, of Victoria Road, Coleford, pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman on September 1 last year at her address in the Forest town whilst she was holding her two-year-old child. He was jailed for 27 months.

Prosecutor, Sam Jones, told Judge Ian Lawrie QC, sitting at Gloucester Crown Court, Baker did this whilst on bail for a previous offence against the woman, and only three days before he was due to appear before the magistrates court.

Mr Jones said Baker had initially denied the offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, but pleaded guilty on the morning of his jury trial after his victim attended court to give evidence.

See story here

Man who attacked with a knife 'after someone took his cider' jailed for 16 months

A 36-year-old Gloucester man who attacked another man and seriously wounded him because he was 'in a funk after someone took his cider' in the hotel, was jailed for 16 months.

David Collins, of Worcester Street, Gloucester - but residing at the London Hotel, on London Road, Stroud, at the time of the assault - pleaded guilty at Gloucester Crown Court to causing Royston Hall grievous bodily harm on December 11, 2017.

Prosecutor, Chris Smyth, told Judge Michael Cullum: “He brandished a knife. There was a struggle. In the course of the struggle Mr Hall ended up with the injury to his hand.”

See full story here

Gloucester woman fined hundreds for dumping rubbish in her neighbourhood

A Gloucester woman has been fined hundreds for leaving black bags and household waste on public land in her street.

Carol Ward, 40, of Bisley Road, Tuffley, admitted dumping an umbrella, white goods and garden waste along with bags full of rubbish in September last year.

She appeared before Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court at the start of the week after a case was brought against her by Gloucester City Council.

See full story here

Drunk threatens to stab police officer at pub shouting: 'This is Fred West country and you are all child molesters'

A 59-year-old man drinking in a Dymock pub shouted at locals: “This is Fred West country and you are all child molesters," a court heard.

Shortly afterwards Ian Norfolk threatened to stab and kill a police officer who he described as a 'paedophile'.

Norfolk, of Western Way Sheltered Housing, Western Way, Dymock pleaded guilty at Cheltenham Magistrates' court to using threatening behaviour at the Beauchamp Arms, Dymock on January 26.

Prosecuting lawyer Sonia Allford told the bench that the whole incident was captured on CCTV.

See full story here

Young Stroud motorist who sped from police and drove through red lights with no licence and insurance avoids jail

A 20-year-old Stroud motorist who sped away from police officers, and drove dangerously through red lights when he had no licence and insurance has avoided jail at Gloucester Crown Court.

Joseph Swindell, of Rodborough Avenue, pleaded guilty on Friday to dangerous driving on October 6 last year in a Mini that he had just bought.

He was seen by officers speeding on the Ebley bypass at 3.50am, said prosecutor Ellen McAnaw.

She told Judge Michael Harington the officers began to follow and believed that Swindell was unaware they were behind him.

Swindell was observed driving at 60mph in a 40mph zone, then 100mph in a 60mph zone.

See full story here

Man caught in the act dumping sofa cushions prosecuted thanks to 'concerned' member of the public

A concerned member of the public' who caught a fly tipper in the act has been hailed for their heroism in bringing the culprit to justice.

Daniel Welsh from Lobleys Drive, Brockworth pleaded guilty to fly-tipping from his vehicle at Holcombe Lane, Painswick on August 1, 2018.

A member of the public witnessed 'three sofa cushions being dumped' from a van near Painswick, and she called Stroud District Council to alert them.

The council took the van's owner to court, and on Monday January 28, magistrates in Cheltenham ordered Welsh to pay a £300 fine, the council'.s clear-up costs of £115, and a victim surcharge of £30.

See full story here

Man dealing cocaine from addict's flat in Cheltenham is jailed for more than two years

A 24-year-old man who was found dealing hard drugs from an addict's flat in Cheltenham has been jailed for two and half years.

Wayne Stewart, of Blackrock Road, Erdington, had denied being concerned in the supply of cocaine, a class A drug, on June 28 last year, but was unanimously convicted by the jury of seven women and five men after less then one hour at Gloucester Crown Court in January.

He was found at the flat of Holly Chandler, 36, of Hanover Street, Cheltenham, with a 16-year-old Birmingham youth outside.

See full story here