A DISABLED man's wife and her carer lover has been jailed after his Holby City star sister found him starving in a squalid home.
Sarah Somerset-How, 49, and George Webb, 50, treated her husband Tom "like a dog" while barely keeping him alive.
His twin sister Kate Somerset-Holmes, who also appeared in Silent Witness, was forced to "ambush" Webb to gain access to her brother.
She found Tom "disorientated and very, very thin" after his weight plummeted to just 6st 10lbs.
The 40-year-old, who suffers from cerebral palsy and required round-the-clock care, had been treated as a "cash cow" by his wife, who splurged his cash on lingerie for her lover.
She and Webb have now been jailed for 11 years at Portsmouth Crown Court.
They were both found guilty of holding a person in slavery of servitude in the first ever case of its kind.
In a victim impact statement, Tom told how he feared Webb's "nuclear bomb" anger.
He added: "When it really sunk in that this was my life, I wanted to end it all, and I couldn't even do that myself.
"It was a shock to hear in court the text messages, and the extent of the betrayal was hard to bear. To hear how much they both despised me. I can't imagine I will ever trust someone again.
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"I sometimes go into my room and do a primal scream until my voice stops working. I can't even cry because the tears won't come out. Sarah has ruined me for anyone else.
"I think 'how have I been so unlucky?'
"I tried to protect my family from the nuclear bomb that was George's anger. It's great to see mum again. I get to see my brother, and my sister sends me videos of my niece. What happened with my family was heartbreaking.
"I'm glad this horrendous time in my life has come to an end, and I want to raise awareness of this for others. Sometimes a relationship that seems happy and thriving can go wrong."
Judge William Ashworth told how Tom was "held in slavery" for at least two years "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 also said the evil pair mocked Tom's disability by comparing him to the movie alien ET and said he had suffered "serious psychological harm".
He added: "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."
Portsmouth Crown Court heard how Tom was “treated like property” by Somerset-How and Webb, who were having an affair behind his back.
The victim, who is partially blind, was abandoned in bed for the vast majority of the time the pair were meant to be looking after him.
He was unable to brush his teeth for a year and was only allowed to shower once a week.
Tom, an intelligent history graduate from a wealthy family, was left alone with just crisps and sandwiches for food.
In texts read to the court, Webb told Somerset-How: "Get rid of him. Go find yourself a man. I think you need to leave Tom and get your life back."
She messaged Webb about taking money from her husband's account, remarking: "Remember, we are just using him."
The couple also attended Man Utd games together and went to Take That concerts while Tom was left neglected at home.
Giving evidence, Tom told the court: "They would go away together on weekends, and I would be left alone with a bottle of squash for up to 12 hours.
"I would have a urine bottle which wouldn't be emptied until Sarah got home.
"There were multiple times when I just couldn't hold it. There were days when I had to stay there in it until Sarah came home to sort me out."
His horror ordeal finally came to an end following a "hostage" extraction involving police and social services.
Sister Kate told how she found her twin brother unwashed in "disgusting" living conditions.
Giving evidence, she said: "Tom smelt terrible, like he hadn't been washed in weeks.
"Tom was very, very thin. His nails were long, and his hair was greasy. He hadn't been shaved in weeks. I asked if he was okay, but he obviously wasn't.
"In hindsight, that was a silly question. It was disgusting."
Webb and Somerset-How were found guilty of holding a person in slavery or servitude but cleared of charges relating to alleged ill treatment before 2017.
The carer was also convicted of ill-treatment by a care worker and ABH against Tom after hitting him with a shoe.
Somerset-How was found guilty of aiding and abetting him from 2017 to 2020.
Detective Constable Cheyne Garrett said: "Sarah Somerset-How and George Webb totally betrayed their innocent victim, who relied on them both for the most basic of human needs.
"The scale of their depravity was revealed thanks to the tenacity of a friend who alerted the victim's family.
"They acted quickly to report their concerns despite Somerset-How and Webb's efforts to isolate them.
"I would like to thank them for raising the alarm, and the victim in this case for supporting the investigation through to conviction under extremely challenging circumstances.
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"No romantic relationship, friendship or working relationship should make you feel unsafe and isolated from friends and family.
"If you feel bullied, trapped, fearful, or someone is telling you that who you are isn't good enough, please ask for help."
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