Chichester: Wife and carer jailed for enslaving disabled husband

The woman and carer of a disabled antheral person been jailed nether modern slavery laws.

Sarah Somerset-How and her person George Webb near Tom Somerset-How bedbound and malnourished successful his location successful Chichester, West Sussex, for 4 years.

Mr Somerset-How said helium lived "under duress and threat" and was forced into "survival mode".

At Portsmouth Crown Court, Ms Somerset-How and Webb, some of Bognor Regis, were sentenced to 11 years successful prison.

In what is thought to beryllium the archetypal prosecution of its kind, the brace were convicted of wilful neglect and holding a idiosyncratic successful slavery oregon servitude.

In addition, Webb was besides convicted of causing existent bodily harm.

Mr Somerset-How, 40, has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, is partially unsighted and requires 24-hour care.

Over 4 years, helium was physically and psychologically abused, near without capable nutrient and portion and forced to unrecorded successful squalid conditions aft Webb was hired arsenic a live-in carer successful 2016, the tribunal heard.

The lovers took vantage of him for their ain fiscal gains and separated him from his family, who reported the concern to the constabulary successful August 2020.

Police said texts betwixt the defendants' mobile phones showed they had started a intersexual narration unneurotic and intentionally neglected Mr Somerset-How to instrumentality drugs and program nights away.

In sentencing, Judge William Ashworth said Mr Somerset-How was "held successful slavery, kept successful bed, often successful his ain urine and excrement, unwashed, unkempt and absent from interaction from different humans".

He told the tribunal that Mr Somerset-How had suffered "serious intelligence harm", was "humiliated" and treated arsenic "a cattle to beryllium milked".

When helium was rescued, Mr Somerset-How weighed conscionable 6st 10lbs (43kg).

"I was virtually successful furniture for 95% of 4 years. There was 1 constituent wherever I didn't get showered successful 5 weeks," helium said.

"The affectional toll's been ridiculous and the intelligence toll. It's completely, utterly destroyed me. There's nary retribution that volition ever equalise what they've done to me."

He added: "As acold arsenic George goes, due to the fact that helium was a carer, helium should never, ever person the accidental to bash this to anybody again."

Prior to sentencing, Mr Somerset-How's unfortunate interaction connection was work retired by the prosecution barrister, Paul Calvin.

"I spell to my country and conscionable scream," it said.

The connection besides said that Mr Somerset-How had had suicidal thoughts and been near with important debt.

Det Con Cheyne Garrett said she was shocked erstwhile she realised the standard of the "depravity" shown by the couple.

"He was stuck successful that room. His wealth was spent. It is despicable and it shouldn't person happened," she said.