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 former teacher at a Gloucester secondary school has been convicted of six offences of molesting two boy pupils in the 1980s.

George Haynes, 69, of Church Lane, Northampton, had pleaded not guilty at Gloucester Crown Court to a total of 11 charges - ten relating to a boy at the Gloucester school between 1980-1984 and one to a boy at a school in Leicester where Haynes later worked in 1985/86.

At the end of a trial held at the 'Nightingale' court in Cirencester the jury found Haynes guilty of five indecent assaults on the Gloucester boy but could not agree on five other charges concerning him - two of indecent assault and three of gross indecency - and was discharged from returning verdicts on them.

Haynes was also convicted of the one charge against him of indecently assaulting the Leicester boy.

He will be sentenced in April.

FULL STORY: Ex-teacher convicted at new Cirencester court of molesting schoolboys

A woman among the organisers of a protest rally in Stroud against Covid restrictions, who made a speech about 'standing up to tyranny' during last year's lockdown, was today 'too ill' to appear in court to defend her actions.

Cheltenham Magistrates Court was told that Debbie Hicks, 46, of Stratford Road in Stroud, is charged with failing to comply with the Secretary of State’s directions in that she held a 'freedom' event during lockdown breaching the Coronavirus Act while Stroud was in Tier one, as she allegedly failed to leave the Stratford Park site when requested.

The court was told that Ms Hicks’ solicitors had heard from the defendant, who was complaining of being unwell.

The case was adjourned in her absence. It is anticipated she will plead not guilty in due course.

Ms Hicks was granted conditional bail to attend Cirencester court on June 28 for a trial that will be presided over by a district judge.

FULL STORY: Lockdown protester Debbie Hicks 'too ill' to appear in court

A Cotswold man who threw a coffee mug at his former partner's face, causing her a 'significant' eye injury, has been given a suspended 16-month jail term at Gloucester Crown Court.

Frazer Lusty, 25 of Cross Tree Flats, Kempsford, near Fairford, pleaded guilty on February 24 to unlawfully and maliciously wounding his former partner on June 6, 2020.

FULL STORY: Cotswold man, 25, threw coffee mug at ex-partner causing eye injury

A former Quedgeley councillor has admitted an incident of 'upskirting'.

At Cheltenham Magistrates Court Lee Hawthorne, 41, of Abbeydale, Gloucester, pleaded guilty to 'operating equipment beneath the clothing of another without consent' on April 23, 2019.

The former Tory councillor is also intending to plead guilty to another upskirting offence for which he is currently awaiting trial at Bristol Crown Court.

District Judge Nicholas Wattam declined jurisdiction on the matter and committed the case to the crown court so it could to tie up with the original case.

Hawthorne was released on conditional bail to appear at Bristol Crown Court on March 1.

FULL STORY: Ex-Quedgeley councillor admits 'upskirting' offence

Two men found with a 'full sweet shop’ selection of Class A and B drugs ready for sale have been jailed for a total of 40 months between them.

Jordan Foster, 23, of Parliament Street, Stroud, and Mitchell Hannis, 25, of Kingsbridge Mews, Cheltenham, were arrested during an unrelated police enquiry in Gloucester.

They were found to be in possession of heroin, crack cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis.

The judge jailed Foster for 14 months and Hannis for 26 months.

FULL STORY: Two men jailed for ' sweet shop' selection of drugs worth over £2.5k

A prolific shoplifter who targeted businesses across Gloucestershire has been sentenced to six months in prison.

Alex Bingham, aged 31 and of Goose Bay Drive in Gloucester appeared at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday after previously pleading guilty to five incidents of shoplifting.

As well as the prison sentence Bingham is also now the subject of four year criminal behaviour order which prevents him from Entering any retail premises within Gloucestershire, with the exceptions of Tesco, St Oswald’s Road, Gloucester, any pharmacy or chemist, Gloucester Post Office or any pub, restaurant, fast food outlet and bank.

FULL STORY: Prolific shoplifter who targeted business in Gloucestershire jailed