POLICE are starting to use a new legislation to bring to justice those people who dominate and control the lives of their loved ones.

Officers are investigating a case locally where a man is alleged to have taken control of his partner’s finances, monitored her phone calls and demanded to know where she is going and when she will be back whenever she goes out.

The Serious Crime Act of 2015 makes it an offence to engage in controlling or coercive behaviour within an intimate family relationship.

The legislation has been introduced to help people to recognise that behaviour of this kind is not normal, not acceptable and should not be tolerated by anyone.

There are significant penalties because behaviour of this sort ruins the lives of entire families. Police anticipate that there will be significantly more of these offences coming to light now that this legislation is available.