In debt through no fault of your own

I was working full time and my previous partner ran a business with a friend of his. They had an almighty bust up, and the 'friend' walked away with all the work. Instead of allowing me to pay the bills and help with the food, he maxed out his credit card and then started borrowing money from MY friends without me knowing. It was only when I was discreetly asked about my financial situation by them that I found out. It was commendable that he wanted to pay the bills, but he didn't change his lifestyle at all and continued to go out to the pub and dine out etc. Eventually the money and friends ran out and he didn't have a penny to his name. The bank started sending threatening letters and his debt was passed to a recovery agent. He just hid the letters, and it wasn't until I found a letter threatening the baliffs that I decided, I couldn't take any more stress, and as most of the items in the property belonged to me, I couldn't risk them being removed. So I paid off his credit card completely. I felt obligated to my friends to do the same, so I paid them off as well and starting taking control of the household. I also gave him money for cigarettes, beer etc. A few months later he left me for someone else. Turns out I was paying for him to go and visit her.