A woman from Somerset endured years of coercive and controlling behaviour from her husband, only to face a financial burden exceeding £100,000 to secure her divorce.
Annabelle Boucher, 48, who runs a riding school in Chiselborough, suffered prolonged abuse at the hands of David Rogers, 61. Despite the severity of the cruelty she endured, Annabelle was compelled to pay Rogers a lump sum of £75,000 and cover more than £30,000 in her own legal fees to finalise their divorce.
Annabelle recounted how she initially welcomed Rogers into her family home early in their relationship, hoping for a better life for herself and her two children. However, over time, his behaviour turned increasingly controlling and frightening, leaving her feeling trapped and isolated.
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“It sneaks up on you,” she said. “You start thinking it’s normal, and then I realised it wasn’t, and I didn’t know how to leave because he was in my family home. I felt imprisoned.”
The abuse escalated to physical assaults and relentless psychological control, with Rogers monitoring her every move and creating a climate of fear. On one occasion, Annabelle described how Rogers violently pulled the handbrake while she was driving and later threw water in her face. Another terrifying event involved Rogers provoking her to believe he wanted her to stab him, a moment she recalls as indicative of the dangerous situation she was in.
After confiding in a friend, police were alerted, leading to Rogers’ arrest in February 2024. He pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour at Taunton Crown Court in April 2026, receiving a 20-month suspended sentence and a five-year restraining order.
Despite the conviction, Annabelle expressed deep frustration at the legal system’s handling of the financial aspects of their divorce. She explained that although she and Rogers had maintained separate finances during their marriage, she faced a legal battle over assets, including those she owned prior to the relationship. Ultimately, the high legal costs and emotional toll forced her to settle.
“It’s unbelievable how the law stands at the moment,” she said. “There is a very high bar for conduct to influence the financial outcome of a divorce. My experience of the abuse did not simply disappear when the marriage ended. I then had to spend £33,000 on legal fees fighting over the financial settlement.
“Financially I could not continue to fight and had to settle at £75,000 as a lump-sum payment, leaving me facing significant financial consequences on top of the emotional impact of the abuse.”
Reflecting on their relationship’s early days, Annabelle recalled Rogers appearing as a “knight in shining armour” when they met in 2017 and his quick bond with her children. Their marriage in June 2019 marked a turning point as controlling behaviours intensified.
She hopes her story will prompt changes in divorce laws to better protect victims of domestic abuse from further financial harm.
“Other victims should be able to leave without being hit with a huge bill at the end of it,” she said.
Now rebuilding her life with support from a new partner, Annabelle encourages others facing abuse to seek help and stresses that physical injuries are not always visible.
“You can stay in your own home and police can protect you,” she said. “Just him not being there is the beginning of feeling relief and freedom. Speak to the police because the police will help you.”
Annabelle’s ordeal is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by victims of coercive control and the urgent need for reform to ensure the legal system fully supports their escape and recovery.