A UFO fanatic who claimed aliens are secretly impregnating humans has been jailed - for subjecting his ex-Coronation Street actor brother to a terrifying hate campaign. TV paranormal researcher Gerald Banyard, 71, launched a bitter family feud with retired actor and older brother Stephen Banyard, in his 70s, and his frightened wife Barbara, 84. Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court heard he wrongly claimed they owed him £200,000 and sent the couple death threats and branded Stephen - severely disabled after a stroke - an "evil narcissistic psychopathic bastard".

Barbara who lives with her husband in a retirement flat in Hazel Grove, Stockport, was so frightened of her brother-in-law, she would not venture to the shops. Now Banyard - once jailed for trying to frame an innocent man over the 2017 Westminster terror attack - has admitted stalking his brother and sister-and-law and been caged for 12 months. Banyard, of Radcliffe near Bury, Greater Manchester, is also subject to a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting them.

The court heard he has a "history of significant mental health problems" and is expected to be soon released from jail due to the nine months he had already served on remand while awaiting trial.

Judge Jenny Lester-Ashworth told him: "I have read the victim personal statement and your continued conduct towards these elderly victims has caused them significant distress at a time in their lives when they are less able to cope.

"They feared you would inflict violence upon them. It was very serious and persistent conduct. The victims were particularly vulnerable due to their age and health conditions."

Banyard first came to public attention in the 1990s on Clive Anderson's Channel 4 Talk Back show, claiming he knew of "70 species of alien" who were "impregnating women on Planet Earth" to create a new 'hybrid' race.

Meanwhile his older brother Stephen appeared in four different roles on Coronation Street between 1980 and 2003 including as a former cellmate of Les Battersby. He also had bit part roles in various TV dramas including Heartbeat, Holby City and The Royal.

In 2002 Banyard was convicted of harassment and given unpaid work after he hounded a happily married woman falsely claiming they had a fling. Tapes and letters detailing alleged affairs were sent to the woman and her husband.

In 2019 he was arrested again after he fed police falsified information about his landlady's boyfriend with whom he had been feuding over a faulty boiler.

He wrongly claimed the man had been an accomplice to Khalid Masood who killed four people on Westminster Bridge, stabbed PC Keith Palmer to death outside the House of Parliament and injured 50 other people, before being shot dead by police in the first UK terror attack claimed by ISIS..

During the revenge scam Banyard, then living in Eastbourne with his late father, sent a package to Brighton police station claiming to be from a US tourist who had found a suspicious note in his hotel room.

It read: "Khalid, stick a cop for the old days" and signed as the name of his landlady's boyfriend and giving his mobile phone number.

Up to 260 police man hours were wasted and Banyard was subsequently jailed for three years for perverting the course of justice with a judge at the time branding him "truly devious and manipulative man."

The court heard Banyard's hate campaign against Stephen arose out of £50,000 in cash which was seized from him during his arrest at a hotel in Glasgow over the Westminster Bridge plot.

He had falsely claimed the money had belonged to his sister-in law but she refused to go along with his explanation. It is thought the cash was then confiscated and Banyard began sending death threats to his brother.

In August 2023 Banyard was jailed for eight weeks and made subject of a restraining order but he then intensified his campaign against the couple when he was released.

In May last year he sent an email to a manager at the retirement housing complex where his brother and sister in law live to falsely claim they had 'stolen' £200,000 from him.

He branded both "narcissistic, psychopathic evil people" and said prison inmates he had spent time with behind bars ''knew where they lived'' adding: "The Karmic wheels have been put in motion."

He also referred to the play "Tony Monroe is Dead" - a comedy production about a wedding celebration - in a sinister attempt to mock his brother's stage name.

Banyard was arrested on 25th May 2024 and made no comment in police interview.

Prosecutor Craig MacGregor said: "Mrs Banyard is 84 year old and she says she does not need the stress this episode has placed on her. Her husband is unwell and she is now prevented from going to the shops for fear her brother-in-law."