fraud

(Stranraer)

My husband gradually took control of our finances. It took years and very clever organisation. He hid bank letters and any other mail relating to financial matters.

Along with these things he restricted funds (spending them who knows where) to the point where I could not afford to continue with any hobbies that I enjoyed. I had to stop going out for anything I wanted and became Isolated apart from my work.

Last year I discovered he had used a credit card to pay a large amount of his boss's debt. I was devastated and confronted him with my parent's help. He had access to all of my accounts so I revoked that permission.

Over a 6 month period our relationship continued to break down to the point where I could no longer get out of bed.

One night, through the tears, I decided to check my accounts online. I discovered a frightening amount of debt and fraud on our joint accounts. Our payments to some basic things like electricity and gas had been stopped in order to cover these huge loans taken out in my name. When I confronted him about all of this he denied having done anything wrong. He refused to leave the marital home and the emotional abuse intensified. A week later I managed to persuade him to leave.

8 months since I discovered the last of this and he has only just been charged. He continues to make my life a misery - we have 3 young children which means I have to see him regularly; and he refuses to allow me to sell the house. He is receiving legal aid and I am paying out thousands in solicitors fees.

This has all been very difficult to prove. I know the case against him is very strong, but I worry every day that when it eventually goes to court he manages to get out of it.