A warrant was issued yesterday for the arrest of a 31 year old Stroud man, who is alleged to have breached a suspended jail term.

Timothy O'Brien, of Grazebrooks Well, Stroud was due at Gloucester crown court yesterday morning after the probation service said he had breached a suspended sentence by not attending appointments as directed.

He failed to attend yesterday’s  hearing and Judge Ian Lawrie QC issued a warrant for his arrest.

In June 2017 O'Brien was given an eight month jail term suspended for two years after he admitted assaulting another man causing him actual bodily harm.

He punched Michael Niblett, a taxi passenger, 26 times as he tried to grab the cab for himself on New Year's Eve 2016.

Mr Niblett suffered damage to his teeth that will cost £6,500 to repair.

Recorder James Townsend described the attack as 'extremely nasty' and imposed the suspended sentence ordering him to attend 15 days of rehabilitation activities and a 30-day programme requirement.

O'Brien was also ordered to pay compensation of £4,000 to Mr Niblett.