After freeing a man who had been locked up for breaching a restraining order, a Gloucester Crown Court judge was concerned about how he would get back home to the North Cotswolds without any money on a Friday afternoon.

Judge Ian Lawrie KC said he hoped Keith Bonner, 48, would be issued with a travel warrant from the probation service to pay for the 30 mile journey back to Moreton in Marsh.

But then the judge and the two barristers in Bonner's case debated what form of transport Bonner might be able to get - and prosecutor Neil Treharne quipped that perhaps the custody transport firm which had delivered the defendant to court might be able to take him home.

"Your Honour, couldn't Serco drop him off on their way?" said Mr Treharne, tongue in cheek.

Judge Lawrie replied: "I'm not sure they offer such a personal delivery service."

Defence advocate Lloyd Jenkins added "Serco meets Ocado!"

Judge Lawrie said he thought the journey might be awkward for Bonner as there was no train to Moreton in Marsh - but he was then reminded by the lawyers that there is, in fact, a station at Moreton, on the Cotswold line.

Releasing Bonner until May 8, when he will have to return to court for sentence, the judge told him he hoped he would be able to get home all right,  even if it involved 'exploring the pleasures of the Cotswolds' on the way.

Bonner had been arrested and charged with breaching a restraining order because on Christmas Day last year, and again on February 20 this year, he had gone to the home of a woman whom he was banned from visiting or contacting.

He admitted both breaches of the order - which was made by the court on Dec 13th last year - but Judge Lawrie heard that the woman had agreed to his visits and had invited him for Christmas.

At an earlier hearing, Judge Lawrie adjourned so the woman could attend court and confirm that she had agreed to Bonner visiting and did not want him to be subject to a restraining order.

Last Friday (April 5) Mr Treharne, prosecuting, said because of an administrative oversight the woman had not attended and neither had the police officer in the case.

But he said he was content for the judge to remove the restraining order on the basis the case could come back before the court for the order to be reinstated.

He asked for Bonner to be freed from custody, pointing out that because of the two breaches 'he has been in custody for some while'.

"He is now clean of drugs and I think he would be in a better place if he was back with this lady in Moreton in Marsh. "

Referring to the fact that Bonner's son died 'an untimely death', Mr Jenkins said "You know the trauma he has suffered in his life. He needs time to process."