…Researched and contributed by Solomon Thomas.
Disabled man Tom Somerset-How, who has cerebral palsy, has given evidence at Portsmouth Crown Court accusing his wife Sarah Somerset-How and carer George Webb of ‘enslaving’ him and treating him like a ‘cash cow’.
According to prosecutors, the pair treated him like a ‘prisoner in his own home’ while spending £12,000 on luxury items with cash he had been given by relatives.
They are accused of ostracising him from his family, leaving him in bed for 90% of the time, allowing him only one shower a week and failing to brush his teeth for a year.
Mr Somerset-How claims that he confronted the pair after hearing sounds and suspecting they were having sex, but was told they were ‘just discussing’ his care.
He also said that the pair would go away together for weekends and leave him with only a ‘bottle of squash’ for up to 12 hours.
According to him, Webb was a ‘really good carer’ at first, but within a year things declined rapidly, and small changes made it harder for him to request help.
Mr Somerset-How claimed that he went for weeks without getting out of bed, had to text his wife to ask for help to the toilet, and on multiple occasions had to stay in his urine until she came home.
Webb also threw a shoe at him in anger and dragged him into the shower, spraying water on him until he was ‘gasping’, he said.
The couple deny all charges.
The trial continues for four weeks.
Commentary:
The alleged abuse and enslavement of Tom Somerset-How is a harrowing reminder of the hidden abuse that can take place behind closed doors.
The fact that his wife and carer are the accused only adds to the distressing nature of the case.
It is important that such cases are brought to light and the perpetrators are held accountable for their actions.
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