My father, Geoffrey Parkinson, who has died aged 87, was a dedicated officer with the Inner London Probation Service. He had a passion for his work and was determined to stay on the frontline for as long as he could.
Along with his probation work, though, he also wrote prolifically. Using his wit and the inspiration of his Methodist upbringing, Geoffrey wrote plays for radio, many of which were produced and aired by the BBC throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s. He also had a monthly column in New Society magazine under the name of Tailgunner Parkinson, which had a small but avid following.
Professionally, he was a man before his time. He challenged the probation establishment, thinking it unrealistic to expect hardened criminals to opt for a crime-free life overnight. Instead, Geoffrey advocated "weaning" offenders on to lesser, petty crimes. His stance was too controversial for the probation service of the 70s and he was suspended, though later reinstated.
Geoffrey was born and brought up in Epsom, Surrey, and educated at Glyn grammar school, Epsom. After national service in the RAF he spent a while not knowing what he wanted to do, but eventually trained as a probation officer, gaining an Oxford University diploma at Barnett House in 1954.
He was funny, great company, intelligent, and a brilliant storyteller, but also a highly complex character. Privately, he could be unapologetically judgmental of others. His marriage to my mother ended in 1985, after which I lived with him alone for the next decade. We had a tempestuous relationship but lived alongside each other amicably, dad in a flat downstairs and me above him.
Geoffrey accumulated money and possessions throughout his life, remaining in the family home in Sutton, Surrey, which became very cluttered. He was proud of his achievements, his reputation in the probation service and his many plays.
In 1992 he met Carole Seymour-Jones, and they married in 2012. Carole and three stepchildren survive him, as do my sister, Jane, brother, Paul, and I, along with nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
• This article was amended on 30 October 2014. Mention of Geoffrey Parkinson's second marriage was added. He did not study at Oxford Polytechnic, but on an Oxford University course at Barnett House. These points have been corrected.
