A 38-YEAR-OLD man from Minchinhampton who made the lives of his elderly parents a misery has been issued a two-year restraining order by Cheltenham Magistrates.

Neighbourhood police officers from Stroud conducted a drugs warrant at an address in Minchinhampton in November and arrested Nicholas Geenty on suspicion of the possession of class B drugs.

They discovered that Geenty was living at the address against his elderly parents' wishes and was engaged in a course of conduct that amounted to controlling and coercive behaviour.

Experienced neighbourhood officers won the trust and confidence of the family who then formally complained about the violent and threatening pattern of behaviour they had endured from their son.

In court Geenty pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour while in a family relationship and received the order banning him from contacting his parents either directly or indirectly and was banned from going to the village of Minchinhampton.

Magistrates also issued a community order requiring him to participate in an accredited programme of thinking skills and 80 hours of unpaid community work.

He was ordered to pay an £85 victim surcharge and £60 court costs.

Temporary Inspector Sarah Blake, for the Stroud and Dursley Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This case is a fantastic example of neighbourhood policing at its best.

“The team worked with the family to help them understand and come to terms with the emotional turmoil they had been suffering.

“Working with our partners we ensured the family's safeguarding needs were met and that the family were able to move on with their lives, without feeling intimidated in their own home.

“Controlling and coercive legalisation is fairly new in terms of prosecuted cases but has proved to be crucial in the long term safeguarding of this family.”