The mother and step-father of an autistic man found ‘close to death’ after being locked in an attic and starved of food have both been jailed for six years.

Matthew Langley, 22, was held captive by Lorna and Craig Hewitt for seven months as he slept in the locked room covered in vomit and faeces.

He had no washing or toilet facilities and was so malnourished he weighed only six stone and his bones were visible through his skin. Abrasions on his body indicated he had been moving around on all fours.

Judge Michael Slater described Lorna’s actions as ‘a grave abuse of trust between a mother and her son.’

He added: ‘You were the primary carer for Matthew with all his difficulties and challenges.

‘It makes it all the more inexplicable to me that for those seven months you failed to provide him with the support and provision of food and drink that he craved and needed.’

The Hewitts denied holding Matthew captive but they were both found guilty at trial.

Matthew was found seriously underweight and dehydrated by paramedics who rushed him to hospital with ‘his life hanging in the balance’ in June 2020.

Prosecutor Nicholas Campbell said: ‘His sodium levels were dangerously high. They measured 180.

‘They were so high they could shut down his brain and kill him. Anything above 145, there is a real chance of death.

‘The Home Office pathologist examined the injuries and said the abrasions and bruises were consistent in his view with Matthew having been crawling on all fours over objects in his path.’

Police found faeces and vomit all over the floor and bedding in the attic, along with flies, a bad smell and a key on the outside of the door.

Matthew, who suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, incontinence, arthritis and learning difficulties, weighed only 39kg (6st). Seven months earlier, in November 2019, he weighed 53.6kg.

Matthew has thankfully made a good physical recovery and was later discharged from hospital weighing 55kg.

Addressing Craig, Judge Slater said: ‘You were complicit equally with wife Lorna Hewitt in care effectively being switched off to any degree for Matthew as he was locked in his room and starved of food.

‘That did not occur by negligence, it did not occur by recklessness.

‘It was a plan between the pair of you. I’m quite satisfied that nothing in that household occurred without either you knowing about it or approving of it.’

Speaking directly to Lorna, he said: ‘It is argued on your behalf that you were particularly vulnerable and suggestible at the time.

‘I had the benefit of observing you give evidence in the trial over the course of several days.

‘It did not seem to me that you were not capable of standing up for yourself or that you were particularly suggestible. You were both an articulate, temperate and thoughtful witness.’

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