Margate mum urges others to use Clare’s Law after ex-partner is jailed for controlling and coercive behaviour

A Margate mum is urging people to use Clare’s Law to check whether a prospective partner has an abusive history after finally seeing her ex jailed for controlling and coercive behaviour.

Abi Langley, 40, thought she had found her perfect partner when she started dating David Orrin at the latter end of 2021.

But the ‘perfect guy’ turned into a nightmare partner just months after the couple started dating.

Abi, who is an education welfare officer, said: “When I met him he was the perfect guy. We were dating three or four months and then, when we were on holiday, he proposed.

“After that he completely changed into a different person and became violent and controlling. He bit me, strangled me, threatened me. He broke into my house and stole money from me.

“He destroyed my work laptop and he destroyed my car so I couldn’t go to work. I had to have time off work for my mental health and I had to get counselling, which I still have.

“I kept on leaving him but I was scared and he kept threatening to commit suicide so I’d get back with him.

“The last time I had to run out of my house in just my underwear because he was attacking me.”

Police had previously issued a caution to Orrin after he shared images of Abi to social media and finally, in December 2022, he was arrested.

But it took almost three and a half years to get to the sentencing stage in court with him giving numerous excuses for being unable to attend, resulting in a number of rescheduled hearings.

Abi said: “Every time there was a court date he’d make up a reason why he couldn’t be there. I’d end up turning up and then find out I had to wait another six months until they finally put  a warrant out for his arrest and he was remanded.”

On April 9th at Canterbury Crown Court, following a guilty plea, Orrin, from Birchington, was sentenced to 22 months. The court also issued an eight year restraining order against him contacting Abi.

She said: “I’m not sure that there were signs at the start, maybe the love bombing should have been a sign, there were lots of gifts and constant attention.

“I just feel relief now it is all over and done with after three and a half years but it has impacted me. I have been anxious waiting for court dates, building myself up but then waiting and waiting. I have been scared and I still am scared for when he gets out even though I have the restraining order.

“This has been holding me back for three and a half years. I want to tell people to use Clare’s Law because afterwards I found out this had happened before me and I just think he is dangerous for any intimate partner.”

Abi says her boss has ‘been amazing’ and she is now looking forward to getting on with life with her two teenage children.

The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed David Orrin was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment, given a restraining order for eight years and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £165.

Controlling and coercive behaviour is a form of domestic abuse comprising a pattern of threats, humiliation, intimidation, or isolation designed to punish, frighten, or make a victim dependent. It is a criminal offence in the UK.

Clare’s Law

Clare’s Law, also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) is a police policy giving people the right to know if their current or ex-partner has any previous history of violence or abuse.

The scheme is named after Clare Wood, who was murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend in 2009. It was formally rolled out in England and Wales in 2014, following the landmark campaign led by Clare’s father Michael Brown.

Find out more about Clare’s Law at: https://clares-law.com/