Carer left disabled man in car while he went to cinema

Father-of-two Yunus Navagar, 31, was jailed for six months after he admitted ill-treating and neglecting John Auty, who suffers from epilepsy.

Mr Auty, 50, who is unable to speak and needs 24-hour supervision, was left strapped in a car for almost three hours with no food and water while his carer went to watch The Raid 2 at a Bradford cinema.

Bradford Crown Court heard that three months before leaving Mr Auty on the third floor of the multi-storey car park at the Leisure Exchange, Navagar had helped to put him in the recovery position when he suffered a seizure.

Judge Jonathan Rose said: “You knew on that occasion that this was a man who could fit at any time and could be seriously injured or lose his life as a result.”

The judge said if Mr Auty had been able to get out of the car, the risk of him falling from the third floor was significant.

“The risk of him having an epileptic fit, ever present, and dying strapped in his seat, unable to undo his own seat-belt, was substantial,” the judge added.

Judge Rose praised a mother who alerted security staff after she found Mr Auty dribbling from the mouth and in a distressed state.

Prosecutor Louise Reevell said when police officers arrived Mr Auty, was distressed and agitated.

“He was looking at his watch and pointing towards the cinema complex,” she said.

The court heard that the car windows were shut, there was no food or water and it was cold.

Navagar, of Carlisle Terrace, Manningham, Bradford, eventually returned to the car two hours and 49 minutes after leaving Mr Auty, and initially told officers that he had been to the toilet.

The officers followed Navagar as he drove Mr Auty to his care home in Wibsey, Bradford, and after alerting his manager, they arrested the defendant.

In his first police interview, Navagar, who suffered depression after his marriage break-up and the death of his father, suggested Mr Auty was asleep in the car so he went to watch the film himself.

He denied the car windows were shut and said he had left some water.

Judge Rose said Navagar’s behaviour was “reprehensible and disgusting” and he should never work with vulnerable people again.