Swindon Magistrates Court A ROYAL Wootton Bassett man is said to have suffocated his girlfriend using a plastic bag in an alleged murder bid. Appearing before Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning, Nicholas Bray, 23, of no fixed address, entered no pleas to an allegation of attempted murder. He has also been charged with sending a social media message to a Wiltshire Police officer last November threatening to shoot and decapitate him. Prosecutor Kate Prince said Bray was alleged to have held a plastic bag over his girlfriend’s head on February 2 at a home in Royal Wootton Bassett. Heavily-tattooed Bray, who appeared in custody wearing a grey tracksuit and flanked by two custody officers, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address.
Ismail Ay outside Swindon Magistrates Court A TAKEAWAY boss caught doing 117mph on the M4 on bald tyres was branded a “death trap” by magistrates. Ismail Ay, 29, was behind the wheel of a Mazda CX-7 when he overtook a police officer on the M4 near Swindon on May 31 last year. The officer, who driving an unmarked car, was himself driving at 92mph. The officer followed the Mazda as it hit speeds of 117mph. When he pulled it over, the constable noticed that both rear tyres were heavily worn. Cautioned by the officer, Ay replied: “I want to say sorry. I didn’t see the tyres.”
A local man has since pleaded guilty to arson. Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon, Stratton and Westlea fire crews raced to the scene at Warren Farm on Saturday night. Around five tonnes of baled straw was ablaze, with 200kgs of ammonium nitrate fertiliser close by in danger from the heat.
Credit: Royal Wootton Bassett Fire Station A spokesman for Royal Wootton Bassett fire station said: “We were called out at 8.46pm to a barn fire in Wroughton. We used water carrier supplying pumps from other nearby stations to extinguish the flames.” Police later arrested Matthew Robley, 27, of Manor Close, Wroughton, who was charged with arson. He pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrates Court on Monday, when he was released on conditional bail.