A woman and a caretaker from the UK have been jailed for 11 years after they enslaved and left a disabled man in filthy conditions, as per a report in Independent. After a trial at Portsmouth Court, Sarah Somerset-How and George Webb were found guilty of holding her husband Tom Somerset-How in slavery and three counts of mistreatment by a care worker between 2016 and 2020.
The caretaker, who was in a relationship with the woman, was also convicted of "causing actual bodily harm" to Mr Somerset-How. The 40-year-old man was suffering from cerebral palsy and used an electric wheelchair, and was bedridden and malnourished. He was allegedly mistreated and abused by the couple.
As per the outlet, Mr Somerset-How recalled in court how horrified he was to learn that his wife and Mr Webb "despised" him and had a "five-year plan" to continue taking advantage of him.
"The extent of the betrayal was hard to bear for a long time, 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. I feel like Sarah has ruined me for anyone else, I feel abandoned like I was pushed to one side, I couldn't trust the one person who should have been on my side," he said. He claimed he had been concerned he would not have been able to reconnect with his family, particularly his mother, whom he had alienated while being "monitored" by his wife and Mr Webb to make sure he did not reveal their abuse of him.
"I couldn't explain to her what was happening, I thought it was better they stay away, protect them from George and the nuclear bomb that was his anger," he told the court. Mr Somerset-How stated that although he is currently residing in a care facility, he wishes to live more independently. He also spoke about the emotions he used to feel during his treatment and said that he would scream in his care facility room with a "primal scream" until he lost his voice.
Further, Judge William Ashworth appreciated the man for his courage and added, "I find as fact of which I am sure that Tom Somerset-How 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." He stated that Mr Somerset-How was "denigrated by the defendants and humiliated and his requests to go to the toilet scorned."
The judge added that the man has suffered "serious psychological harm". He said, "He had lost any independence and was treated like a cow to be milked. But, in our society, a cow is protected by minimum standards of husbandry and not even these were afforded to Tom by his carers."
