Stroud man handed county's first Respect Order following abusive behaviour and threats of violence

A Stroud man has been issued with the county's first Respect Order – a new tool for tackling adult anti‑social behaviour. 

Christopher Rogers, aged 46 and of Paganhill, was handed an interim Respect Order at Gloucester and Cheltenham County Court on Thursday 29 October.

This followed reports of threats of violence, concerns for public safety and abusive behaviour. 

The Solace team successfully obtained the Respect Order for Rogers after the new national legislation came into force under the Crime and Policing Act 2026 on Monday 26 October.

Replacing Anti-Social Behaviour Injunctions (ASBIs), the new Respect Orders enable police and councils to take stronger enforcement action against relentless adult offenders of antisocial behaviour.

Breaching a Respect Order is a criminal offence and will now be dealt with through the Magistrates' Court rather than the Civil Court.

Offenders can also be ordered by the courts to tackle the root causes of their behaviour, from drug or alcohol treatment to anger management courses, instead of simply returning them to the streets to start the cycle again.  

A person found guilty of breaching a Respect Order may face imprisonment for a fixed term of up to two years, an unlimited fine, or both.

Under the terms of the Interim Respect Order, Rogers is prohibited from:

1. Engaging in conduct which causes, or is capable of causing, harassment, alarm, or distress to any person within the District of Stroud, including Nailsworth, Stonehouse, and Great Oldbury;
2. Using or threatening violence towards any person within the District of Stroud, including Nailsworth, Stonehouse, and Great Oldbury;
3. Entering or being present within the area of Nailsworth at any time;
4. Entering or being present within the area of Great Oldbury at any time.

The Order is currently an interim order, with a full hearing scheduled for 30 November 2026.  

Anyone who witnesses Rogers breaching the order is asked to contact police on 101 or complete the following online form: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime

Karl Simpson, Team Leader for Solace, said: "This new legislation provides agencies responsible for tackling anti-social behaviour with an effective tool to address behaviours that cause significant harassment, alarm, and distress within our communities.

"The ability to take swift action will help prevent unacceptable conduct from continuing and protect those who are most affected.

"The Solace team will not hesitate to utilise the powers available to us to tackle anti-social behaviour across Gloucestershire and we remain committed to working with our partners to protect communities, support victims, and hold offenders accountable for their actions."

Solace is a multi-agency team comprising officers from Gloucestershire Constabulary and local authorities, dedicated to tackling anti-social behaviour and improving the quality of life for communities across Gloucestershire.

CHRISTOPHER ROGERS