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A callous Sheffield couple who kept their autistic son locked in an attic bedroom have now spent a year imprisoned themselves.

Matthew Langley’s mother and stepfather, Lorna and Craig Hewitt, were found guilty last February of falsely imprisoning and causing him, a vulnerable person, serious harm or injury, following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

Friday, February 18 will mark one year to the day that the couple were put behind bars for their actions, with Judge Michael Slater telling Lorna: “This was a grave abuse of trust by a mother to her son.”

Jurors were told was told how an ambulance was called to the Hewitts’ home in Walkley Road, Walkley, in the early hours of June 2, 2020, where Matthew Langley was found seriously underweight and dehydrated with his life hanging in the balance.

Craig and Lorna Hewitt have spent nearly a year behind bars over the neglect of Lorna's son, who they locked in his attic bedroom

Mr Langley who is autistic and suffers with irritable bowel syndrome, incontinence, arthritis and learning difficulties, weighed only 39kg when he was found, but seven months before in November, 2019, he had weighed 53.6kg.

He was so malnourished his bones were visible through his skin when his plight was discovered.

Judge Slater said his mum and stepfather ‘effectively turned off’ Mr Langley’s care in November 2019, and allowed him to ‘waste away in his bedroom’ for the next seven months, with the door to his room locked for much of that time.

Mr Langley crawled around on his hands and knees during the time he spent locked in his room, in ‘conditions of abject squalor and filth,’ the court heard.

Lorna Hewitt was told her actions were "a grave abuse of trust by a mother to her son"

Police revealed they had found faeces and vomit in Mr Langley’s attic bedroom over the floor and bedding, along with buzzing flies, a bad smell and a key on the outside of the door.

Both Matthew’s mum and stepfather were determined to have played equal roles in the misery inflicted.

Craig Hewitt used to run a ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ style group in Walkley.

He set up a Facebook page, which changed its name over the years and was last known as Walkley Crime Group.

In it, Craig and other members shared information about crimes and suspicious behaviour in Walkley.

Craig and Lorna Hewitt: Callous Sheffield couple who locked son in attic spend first year behind bars