Somerset woman says abusive ex cost her over £105,000 in divorce

Annabelle Boucher, 48, from Somerset, married David Rogers in 2019 after a brief courtship, but the relationship soon turned abusive, culminating in police reports and Rogers' arrest in February 2024. Their divorce was completed in September 2025 while criminal proceedings were still pending, and Boucher was ordered to pay Rogers a £75,000 settlement plus more than £30,000 in her own legal costs, forcing her to take out loans.

In April 2026 Rogers pleaded guilty to coercive and controlling behaviour at Taunton Crown Court, receiving a 20-month suspended sentence. Boucher contends that the divorce system fails to consider such criminal conduct, a view echoed by the Ministry of Justice, which has launched a consultation to adapt family courts for abuse victims. Legal experts from Rights of Women and family law specialists note that courts rarely factor coercive control into financial rulings, despite growing recognition of its impact.