A notorious Trowbridge drunk who assaulted a woman while armed with a knife has been remanded in custody by a judge.

Piotr Stec pleaded guiltywhen he appeared before a judge at Swindon Crown Court.

The 41-year-old had been due to face trial by judge and jury after pleading not guilty to issuing threats while armed with a blade.

But he failed to turn up for the hearing and had to be brought before the court in custody after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

When he finally appeared in the dock he admitted possessing a bladed article and common assault.

Prosecutors said they would not seek a trial on charges of criminal damage and issued threats with a knife.

Stec was being given a lift back to Trowbridge by a woman when the incident took place on the M4 motorway.

Andrew Stone, defending, asked for his client to be released on bail to live with his girlfriend on Bond Street, Trowbridge.

He said that he had a job lined up at the Welton Factory in Westbury, manufacturing packaging, which he would lose if he was not released on bail adding "Work is his salvation: he is a drinker."

But Recorder Alastair Malcolm QC said the only way to ensure his attendance at the probation service for a pre-sentence report and the next hearing was to remand him in custody, and put the case off to Wednesday (June 28).

Stec was given to an anti-social behaviour order and banned from parks in Trowbridge in 2012 as a result of his drunken behaviour.