Carers who left a severely autistic woman locked in a car alone while they went on a two-and-a-half hour shopping spree, have avoided jail.

Sylvia Ezeorji, 47 and Veronica Howe, 52, were in charge of the woman in her 50s, who does not speak.

She was found by police in Chatham High Street on a hot day in July after passers-by dialed 999.

She was wearing a big coat and sweating.

Beside her were a packet of Wotsits and a bottle of water but she was not capable of opening either.

Howe, of Castle Road, Chatham, and Ezeorji, of Porters Avenue, Dagenham, pleaded guilty to neglect at Medway magistrates in September.

James Nichols, prosecuting, said one of the officers looked in the car to see a woman in the back with a purple coat on and no shoes.

He said: “He knocked on the window and the woman shuffled her feet, but made no eye contact.

“Three attempts to open the car were made before the window was smashed and when paramedics arrived and gave her water, she drank at speed.”

When Ezeorji and Howe came back to the car at about 4pm they asked police what had happened and if the woman was OK.

The court was told the pair had admitted their actions fell below what is required of them and said they did go to check on her in the car, but left her there again and just forgot about the time.

Chairman of the bench, Veenod Rama, said: “This is an extremely serious case and you showed a total disregard for a person’s life.

“There is no excuse, it was callous and selfish behaviour on a very vulnerable person.”

Magistrates decided their sentencing powers were insufficient and sent the case to Maidstone Crown Court to be dealt with.

Ezeorji was given an eight-month sentence suspended for two years and Howe was given a six-month suspended sentence for two years.

Both were ordered to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work.