A suspected domestic abuser who was due to be released from custody following delays to his court case will stay behind bars after a bad smell disrupted his case.

Claudio Stroud, of Tennyson Street, Swindon, appeared at Bristol Crown Court on June 27, with the court discussing if his custody time limit should be extended. 

The 22-year-old was initially supposed to have a trial in April, after being accused of two counts of assault by beating an emergency worker, one count of intentional strangulation, two counts of causing actual bodily harm, two counts of threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a private place, one count of threat of kill, and one count of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour. 

But the trial was postponed at Swindon Crown Court because an unpleasant smell that lingered in the room following a fire that had taken place on the court's roof a few days before was deemed 'too unpleasant' for proceedings to continue.

Stroud's custody time limit was due to run out on June 27, with his legal representative arguing that it was not his fault that a court fire had delayed proceedings, and that he should be allowed to be released on bail.

But His Honour Judge James Townsend concluded the custody time limit should be extended until Stroud could face trial in September, this year.