A 39-year-old man is to stand trial accused of trying to kidnap his former partner and strangling her. 

Sashon Lewis, of Chestnut Close, Hardwicke, did not enter any pleas to the charges at Cheltenham Magistrates Court yesterday (March 7). 

It is alleged on May 6, 2022 he unlawfully took his former partner by force against her will and that he tried to strangle her on the same occasion. 

Prosecutor Cathy Thornton said Lewis and the alleged victim had been in a relationship which ended in the spring of last year.

Jane Taylor, defending, said the allegations are 'fully denied' by Lewis. 

“There was no kidnap. There was no assault,” she said. 

“He has been under investigation for over a year, and only now he has been charged, despite other subsequent matters having been dealt with in the meantime.”

Presiding Justice Alexandra Hayes said that the case could only be dealt with at Gloucester Crown Court and she released Lewis on conditional bail to appear at that court for a pre-trial and preparation hearing on April 6.