A father who demanded his family stay five metres away from him during lockdown was ordered on Monday to pay £1,120 in fines for coercive and controlling behaviour towards his family.
Peter Copland, 66, arranged time slots for when his wife and children could use the large kitchen in their family home in Devon, and insisted they kept a five-metre distance from him at all times.
The retired engineer introduced the bizarre measures as he and his wife Maria divorced after 33 years of marriage.
Prosecutor Warjinder Bains said his family had a slot for breakfast before 8.30am, a one hour lunch slot and two hour dinner slot - and the rest of the time they were not allowed in there.
Exeter magistrates found Copland guilty of controlling and coercive behaviour as well as of one charge of assaulting his then wife, and also handed down 100 hours of unpaid community work alongside the fine.
'We realise this was a very difficult period for all involved,' the Justices of the Peace (JP) said.
Peter Copland, 66, arranged time slots for when his wife and children could use the large kitchen in their family home
The court heard how Copland emailed his then wife about the five metre rule and kitchen schedule, as well as transgressing the rules.
Maria said she accepted the demands to avoid further confrontation.
However, the JPs concluded that Copland's attitude and demeanour were not a practical and pragmatic approach to the break up and were rather 'inflexible' and became 'intimidating and domineering'.
The prosecution stated that Copland twice assaulted his then wife over a weekend in August 2020.
In one alleged incident, he pushed her backwards after a row in the kitchen. The argument was over the couple's 18-year-old son having gone to the kitchen for a drink when it was Copland's turn to use the room.
He claimed he brushed past Maria as she was blocking his exit but then said he did not push past her.
The argument ended with the couple's son throwing Fanta over Copland.
He was cleared
