THE abusive pasts of more than 40 violent partners have been revealed to Hampshire residents under the national scheme Clare’s Law since it launched last year.

Figures released today following a Freedom of Information request revealed that 173 people living in the county had made an application to find out if their other half had a history of domestic violence or abuse.

Clare's Law, named after Clare Wood - who was murdered in 2009 by her ex-boyfriend, allows the police to disclose information about a partner's previous history of domestic violence or violent acts.

Across England and Wales, at least 1,335 disclosures from 3,760 applications have been made under the new law which was introduced in March 2014.

In Hampshire, courts have granted 30 domestic violence protection orders (DVPOs) which can be used to protect victims by preventing perpetrator from contacting them. Only five applications to the courts were refused.