Here are the biggest court stories that have featured in the Stroud News and Journal, Gazette Series or Wilts and Glos Standard over the past few days.

A Painswick man has been jailed for seven years and nine months following an unprovoked attack on his ex-wife.

Alec Butt, of Cotswold Mead, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Monday after being found guilty of assault causing grievous bodily harm.

The 71-year-old hid behind bins near his ex-wife's place of work in Whiteladies Road in Bristol on Saturday, December 28, 2019 before pushing her up against a wall and using a hammer and a screwdriver to inflict significant injuries to her head, arms and hands.

FULL STORY: Painswick man, 71, jailed for attack on his ex-wife

A 39-year-old Lower Slaughter man caught with indecent images of children as well as extreme pornography involving animals was handed a suspended jail term and ordered to do unpaid work for the community.

Donald Godfrey, of Fosse Way, pleaded guilty at Gloucester Crown Court to possessing 43 Category A images and videos of children, the most serious category, 19 images of Category B and 8 of Category C.

He also admitted having 19 extreme pornography images.

The judge sentenced Godfrey to seven months jail suspended for two years and ordered him to do 150 hours of unpaid work. He also ordered him to attend up to thirty rehabilitation activity days and to pay £425 costs.

A five year sexual harm prevention order was imposed on Godfrey.

FULL STORY: Cotswold man who had indecent images of children spared jail

A pregnant mum-of-two has been jailed for a year for causing the death of a 'highly intelligent and compassionate' mental health nurse by driving carelessly in the Cotswolds.

Justyna Witomska, 35, of Downham Way, Bromley, London, had no valid licence or insurance when she took her husband’s car without his consent to drive to Hereford, accompanied by her young daughter and niece, on January 26 last year, a court heard yesterday (May 6).

The trip was cut short by tragedy when Witomska collided with another car on the A436 Cirencester-Cheltenham road in Gloucestershire and the other driver, Rose Harvey, 30, was killed instantly.

Witomska was also disqualified from driving for two-and-a-half years.

FULL STORY: Pregnant mum of two jailed for causing death of much loved nurse in the Cotswolds

A woman has been jailed for eight weeks for damaging a headstone at Westerleigh Crematorium.

Simona Julius, 25, of St George, had admitted criminal damage and two counts of malicious communications at an earlier hearing.

Julius daubed white paint over the headstone of 22-year-old Liam Scarman overnight 26 to 27 November 2020.

She also left an unpleasant note for his family and, after publicity about the incident, sent further offensive messages to named family members in Christmas cards.

FULL STORY: 'Wicked' woman jailed for 8 weeks for damaging headstone in Westerleigh