A 39 YEAR old Nailsworth man has pleaded guilty to a campaign of coercive and controlling behaviour against a woman.

Just moments before he was due to stand trial for the offences at Gloucestershire Crown Court yesterday, having denied them at an earlier hearing, Christopher Rogers of Lawnside, Nailsworth admitted using coercive or controlling behaviour in an intimate relationship between 1 April 2016 and 31 December 2017.

It was said that whilst in a relationship with the woman he headbutted her, dragged her by her hair outside Merrywalks in Stroud, sent messages to the woman's employer claiming she was an alcoholic; rammed her head against a light switch; hid her mobile phone; smashed her mobile phone, attended at her mother's house and attended at her place of work to make allegations of sexual activity with another employee.

Defending, Jason Coulter requested an adjournment for a pre-sentence report to be completed.

Recorder Llewellyn Sellick agreed to adjourn the case, releasing Rogers on bail. But he warned him that he is more than likely to receive a custodial sentence.

"I am willing to adjourn but this is a very serious case. I want to see what progress you have been making, but all options are open," he told Rogers.

"But in my view it is likely to be a custodial sentence."

Rogers will return on May 28 to be sentenced.