A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Newent man accused of stealing meat from his local Co-op.

Ricky Maddox of Culver Street was due before Cheltenham Magistrates Court on July 14th to face the charge of theft of meat worth £37.36 from the Co-op Foodstore, Newent, on 29th July this year.

In his absence, the magistrates issued a warrant without bail for his arrest. They said the warrant was justified because “the offence is punishable with imprisonment in the case of a person who has attained the age of 18.”