Wife ‘enslaved’ disabled husband and used him as ‘cash cow’ as she had affair with his carer, court told

Sarah Somerset-How and George Webb on trial charged with holding a person in slavery

Sarah Somerset-How and George Webb allegedly “enslaved” her husband Tom, who has cerebral palsy (Solent News)

A woman had an affair with her disabled husband’s carer and used her “enslaved” spouse as a “cash cow” while they swindled him out of his inheritance, a court has heard.

Sarah Somerset-How and George Webb allegedly “enslaved” her husband Tom, who has cerebral palsy, over a 10-year period.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard Mr Somerset-How was barely kept alive while the pair bought lingerie and DJ equipment with cash he had been given by relatives.

Ms Somerset-How, 49, and Webb, 50, are on trial charged with holding a person in slavery, fraud, theft and ill-treatment by a care worker.

Webb, who was a live-in carer, faces an additional charge of ABH against Mr Somerset-How after an alleged incident where is he accused of hitting him with a shoe.

Mr Somerset-How, a 40-year-old history graduate, was left as a “prisoner in his own home” and treated like a “piece of property”, the jury was told.

The pair allegedly left wheelchair-bound Mr Somerset How - who is almost blind and needs 24-hour care - in bed for 90 per cent of the time, allowed him a shower once a week and went for a whole year without brushing his teeth.

For food he would be left with only a packet of crisps and a sandwich, the court was told, while the pair carried out their plan to “ostracise” him from his family.

The jury was told that eventually Mr Somerset-How managed to raise the alarm about how he was being treated with a friend, who alerted his parents.

They then staged a rescue with police and social services, “an operation that had the marks of extracting someone as a hostage”, the court heard.

The court heard the alleged offences took place between January 2010 and December 2020, when Ms Somerset-How began her affair with Mr Webb.

Paul Cavin, prosecuting, said: "These offences were a deliberate exploitation and effective enslavement of Tom.”

Mr Cavin said Mr Somerset-How told the police that “the level of care they gave to him was barely existent” and “it was the bare minimum to ensure he was alive”.

"He was left with just a sandwich and a packet of crisps," he said. "He showered once a week and wouldn’t have his teeth brushed for long periods of time."

Mr Cavin added: "He was not allowed to call people without one of them being present. He was their cash cow. They plundered his finances, spending £12,000 of his inheritance."

The court heard Mr Somerset-How met his wife while living in sheltered accommodation in 2008, through Gina Zeelie, a friend who worked with Ms Somerset-How.

In 2010, they moved into a Chichester bungalow, where they had 24-hour care paid for by social services during the week. Webb, working for healthcare agency NursePlus, started caring for him in 2016. This then transitioned into private care, paid for by Tom at a rate of £4,000 a month.

At work Ms Somerset-How allegedly told colleagues that she and Webb would have sex in the sitting room after her husband had gone to bed.

Mr Cavin said: "Tom noticed the defendants were spending a lot of time together and began to suspect they were having an affair. He was right to suspect that.

"Tom gave an estimate that he spent nearly 90 per cent of the next four years in bed. Every few months, he was allowed to see his mother.

"On one occasion, he soiled the bed, and  Mr Webb brought him to the shower and sprayed him in the face with it, calling him dirty and scummy, which he said felt like he was being suffocated.

"Tom said Mr Webb threw a shoe at his face, causing him an injury to his lip.

"He was increasingly ostracised. He was not just neglected. He was not just abused. He was treated like a piece of property.

"He became a prisoner in his own home. He was entirely dependent on his abusers to stay alive.

"Tom received money from family members, which was taken by the defendants without his consent. This was spent on DJ equipment, as Mr Webb would DJ as a hobby, lingerie and paying off credit cards."

Eventually, in July 2020, Mr Somerset-How told Ms Zeelie about the alleged abuse.

The court heard his mother then made an unexpected visit to the house, where Mr Webb was aggressive and was shouting that they needed notice if she was visiting.

On 15 August, the court heard Mr Somerset-How confirmed to social services he was being ill treated and an “extraction date” was agreed on for five days later. Ms Somerset-How and Webb were then arrested.

Text messages from the pair read to court including one where Ms Somerset-How said she “just wanted to slap him [Tom]”. She also sent a text to Webb a message that read “all that keeps me going is our five-year plan”.

Ms Somerset-How and Webb deny the charges. The trial continues.