Sheffield Crown Court has heard many such highly emotive cases where vulnerable young people – either babies, children, teenagers or young people – have fallen prey to offenders and in some instances have lost their lives.
One Sheffield couple was jailed after an autistic son had been locked up in the attic of their family home, and another Sheffield man in a separate case was recently jailed for injuring a baby who suffered a fractured arm and ribs. In another horrific case, a South Yorkshire child-killer who murdered his partner’s two-year-old son was jailed for life and the child’s mother was sentenced to eight years of custody for allowing the death of the toddler.
Judges continue to impose heavy sentences upon those who sexually abuse children including a child molester who sexually abused three youngsters and received 30 years of custody.
1. Craig Hewitt
Pictured is Craig Hewitt, aged 42 when sentenced, of Walkley Road, Walkley, Sheffield, who was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of the false imprisonment of his 22-year-old stepson Matthew Langley and he was also found guilty of causing or allowing a vulnerable adult, namely Matthew Langley, to suffer serious harm between the same dates. The court heard that Hewitt and the Matthew's mother, Lorna Hewitt, had kept her autistic son locked in an attic bedroom and let him ‘waste away’. Lorna Hewitt, aged 43 when sentenced, of Walkley Road, Walkley, Sheffield, was also found guilty of false imprisonment and causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious harm. Craig and Lorna Hewitt were each jailed for six years. Photo: SYP
2. Lorna Hewitt
Pictured is Lorna Hewitt, aged 43 when sentenced, of Walkley Road, Walkley, Sheffield, who was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of the false imprisonment of her 22-year-old autistic son and causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious harm. The court heard that Lorna Hewitt and the child's stepfather, Craig Hewitt, had kept Lorna's autistic son locked in an attic bedroom and let him ‘waste away’. Craig Hewitt, aged 42 when sentenced, of Walkley Road, Walkley, Sheffield, was also found guilty of false imprisonment and causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious harm. Lorna and Craig Hewitt were each jailed for six years. Photo: SYP
3. Andrew Newton
London's Court of Appeal heard how Andrew Newton, aged 27, of Parson Cross, pictured, injured a baby boy who suffered a fractured left upper arm and right thigh during an incident in 2019. The court also heard that the youngster also suffered three broken ribs in a separate incident. Newton who pleaded guilty to cruelty to a person aged under 16 was originally sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court to a two-year suspended prison sentence but after the Court of Appeal reviewed the case he was re-sentenced to three years of custody. Photo: SYP
4. Michael France
Sex offender Michael France, pictured, who abused two children was jailed for 31 years. A joint investigation by South Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Police was mounted in 2019 when the first victim came forward and reported the abuse they had been subjected to by France. As the investigation developed a second victim was discovered. France, aged 42 when sentenced, of Sandyfields View, Skellow, was jailed after being found guilty of 14 charges against his two victims. Photo: SYP