Sheffield mother and stepfather jailed for imprisoning autistic son

A mother and stepfather who kept their starving autistic son locked in “abject squalor and filth” in an attic for seven months have been jailed.

Matthew Langley, 22, weighed just 6st 2lbs (39kg) and was “days away from death” when he was found in June 2020.

Lorna Hewitt, 43, and husband Craig Hewitt, 42, were found guilty of false imprisonment by keeping him captive at their Sheffield home.

The pair, of Walkley Road, were sentenced to six years in prison.

Voice of the Child

In a Family Law system designed for combative parents there is no real allowance for the views of children and any understanding of how Family Law ultimately impacts on children most of all.

We speak for the children in Family Law so that, finally, the children have a voice.