A woman imprisoned and forced to work for a mother of 10 for more than 25 years in 'Dickensian' conditions has spoken out after her abuser was sentenced to 13 years in prison. The victim, now in her 40s, was held by Amanda Wixon, 56, in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, from the mid-1990s until her rescue in 2021.
In a statement released at Gloucester Crown Court on Thursday, the woman said: 'For 25 years I lived in fear, control and abuse. I was treated as though my life, my freedom and my voice did not matter. Nothing can give me back the 25 years I lost.' She is now living with a foster family, who she said are helping her 'slowly rebuild the life that was taken from me'.
The court heard that Wixon beat the woman, squirted washing-up liquid down her throat, splashed bleach on her face, shaved her head against her will, knocked out her teeth with a broom handle, and forced her head down the toilet. The victim lived off scraps, could not leave the house, and was forced to wash secretly at night. Her benefit money, totalling £100,000, was paid into Wixon's account.
Police found the woman after a tip-off. Body-worn camera footage showed Wixon describing her victim as 'quite reclusive'. The woman's room was like a prison cell, and she had scarring on her lips and face, as well as large calluses on her feet and ankles from constant cleaning. The house was overcrowded, with mould, crumbling plaster and rubbish in the garden.
Prosecutor Sam Jones said the victim had 'disappeared from society', with no medical or dental records for 20 years. Social services had been involved with the family in the late 1990s but had no record of contact since. A neighbour claimed she had contacted social services with concerns but 'nothing was ever done'. Wixon was found guilty of false imprisonment, forced labour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Lauren Saunders, from the charity Unseen, which supports victims of modern slavery, said: 'The awareness of domestic servitude is really really low because it happens in private homes.' The charity reported a 37% rise in victims of modern slavery in 2025 compared to 2024. Beki Hoyland, Green group leader on Gloucestershire County Council, called the case 'a serious breach of safeguarding duty'.
