A man from north Wales has been jailed for subjecting his former girlfriend to coercive and controlling behaviour, including drawing up a strict list of rules she had to follow while she was away competing at a gymnastics tournament. Joshua Hughes's controlling conduct escalated after the young woman ended their relationship, with his behaviour towards her worsening rather than stopping once they had split up. The case highlights how coercive control, a criminal offence in England and Wales, can persist and intensify even after a relationship has ended.

Hughes imposed the restrictive rules on his girlfriend during her trip to the gymnastics competition, and a court heard how his controlling actions continued and grew worse once she broke off the relationship with him. He was subsequently convicted of the coercive control offence and sentenced to a prison term as a result of his conduct towards her.