Spouse and lover from Bognor Regis jailed for enslaving disabled husband in filthy circumstances
A girl and her associate have been jailed for 11 years for enslaving her disabled husband in squalid circumstances the place he was usually left malnourished in his personal urine and faeces.
Sarah Somerset-How, 49, and George Webb, 40, have been convicted of holding Tom Somerset-How in slave-like circumstances and three counts of unwell therapy by a care employee.
Webb’s mood was described by the sufferer as like a “nuclear bomb” throughout the trial at Portsmouth Crown Court and he was additionally convicted of inflicting precise bodily hurt.
The pair, from Bognor Regis in West Sussex, abused and exploited Mr Somerset-How and left him malnourished and caught in mattress.
The sufferer makes use of an wheelchair and has cerebral palsy.
The abuse was found by a pal and Mr Somerset-How’s sister, an actress who’s been in Holby City and Silent Witness.
Mr Somerset-How informed the courtroom he was shocked to seek out out his spouse and Webb had a “five-year plan” to use him. He stated they “despised” him.
“The extent of the betrayal was hard to bear for a long time,” he stated in a sufferer affect assertion.
“I felt I was just being kept alive, when the reality sank in, this really was my life, I wanted to end it all, I couldn’t even manage that.”
Mr Somerset-How was left mattress sure by his abusers. Pic: Sussex Police
He stated earlier than he met his spouse he had a profession, pals and a “great life”, however when Mr Webb entered their lives as his live-in carer in 2016 all that stopped.
He stated he was unable to elucidate to his household what was taking place, however lastly revealed his abuse in August 2020.
Disability mocked as ‘like ET’
“I thought it was better they stay away, protect them from George and the nuclear bomb that was his anger,” his assertion stated.
The decide, William Ashworth, praised Mr Somerset-How’s bravery and described the grim circumstances he endured.
“[He] was held in slavery for at least two years and eight months, kept in bed, deprived of adequate food or water, kept away from his family with the curtains drawn, frequently in his own urine and excrement, unwashed and unkempt.”
Tom Somerset-How along with his household exterior courtroom
He added: “He was denigrated by the defendants and humiliated and his requests to go to the toilet scorned.”
He stated the defendants had mocked his incapacity and in contrast him to the alien in ET.
Webb was employed to take care of Mr Somerset-How – however ended up conspiring along with his spouse.
“Texts from the defendants’ mobile phones showed they had become involved in a sexual relationship and intentionally neglected their victim to take drugs and plan nights away,” stated a Sussex Police spokesperson.
Mr Somerset-How stated that whereas the responsible verdicts would not undo the psychological injury, it could assist him transfer ahead in life.
The defendants have been discovered not responsible of fraud and theft.