Woman Held as House Slave for 25 Years Reveals Plight in Heartbreaking Voice Notes
A woman who was kept as a house slave for a quarter of a century has revealed her desperate plight through a series of heartbreaking voice notes, in which she dreamed of being allowed outside to walk the family dog. The victim, who was beaten and starved during her ordeal at the hands of Amanda Wixon, sent the audio messages on a phone she had hidden away after Wixon destroyed a previous handset.
Desperate Recordings Used as Key Evidence
In one poignant message, the woman, who cannot be identified, said: 'I was in agony last night, I was crying … I had no one to speak to.' In another, she expressed: 'Wish I could go out, take Marley [the family's dog] for a walk every day of the week, wish I could do that but I can't.' Police revealed she also spoke about seeing sunlight after Wixon put black bags against windows of her home on a housing estate in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, to prevent her from viewing the outside world.
These voice notes, sent in March 2021 to one of Wixon's children and expressing fear and unsafety, became crucial evidence that helped police build their case against Wixon. The perpetrator was finally jailed for 13 years on Thursday at Gloucester Crown Court.
A Life of Captivity and Abuse
The woman was just 16 years old when Wixon moved her into her home in the mid-1990s under the guise of caring for her. However, Wixon 'almost immediately' took her to the benefits office to ensure her benefits were paid directly to her. Police estimate Wixon stole almost £100,000—approximately £400 per month—intended for the victim but never spent on her.
By the time she was rescued by police in 2021, the woman had no teeth, either having rotted or been knocked out after she was assaulted with a broom handle. The alarm was raised when the woman used a hidden phone to send voice notes to one of Wixon's sons. A police officer who found her described her as smelling heavily of body odour from two metres away, malnourished, timid, and frightened.
Systemic Failures and Calls for Inquiry
In January, Wixon, who has 10 children of her own, was found guilty of false imprisonment, two charges of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour, and four charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Passing sentence, Judge Ian Lawrie KC said Wixon, 56, was in 'permanent denial' about the impact of her offending on the woman, identified as 'K', who was clearly 'emotionally and psychologically vulnerable'.
The court heard how after moving into Wixon's home, the woman had effectively 'disappeared' from society. Neighbours claim they reported concerns in the early 2000s and again in 2018. Social services were involved with the family in the late 1990s, but there were no records of any contact since then.
The woman's new foster carer has now called for an inquiry into why she was not discovered sooner. She stated: 'It's just a horrible situation which should never have happened. I think social services should be more alert and then maybe no one else will go through what she has been through.' The foster carer, who was not named, said Wixon took 'full advantage of her learning difficulties', while Wixon's children failed to intervene.
Horrific Details of Abuse Emerge
Between January 1997 and March 2021, the victim described how Wixon strangled her, put her head down the toilet, and poured cleaning fluids on her face and down her throat. Wixon also stamped on the victim, hit her in the face with a broom handle causing tooth loss, and forcibly shaved off her hair despite her desire to keep it long.
On one occasion, when Wixon discovered the victim had a mobile phone, she took it and hit her around the face with it, giving her a black eye before smashing the phone with a hammer. On 15 March 2021, after feeling ill, the victim used another secret mobile phone to call for help, leading to police intervention.
Rescue and Aftermath
Officers found the victim frightened, gaunt, and malnourished, with cropped hair and bruises on her arms. Her bedroom contained a basic bed with filthy sheets, bare plaster walls with mould, and no light bulb. She was taken to hospital, where doctors noted malnourishment and calluses on her ankles consistent with hours spent on her knees sweeping.
A dentist visit revealed she would have been in severe pain for years due to untreated infections and abscesses. Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher called the case one of the worst in his near-30-year career, stating: 'She was totally dehumanised... I don't think Amanda Wixon saw her as a human being.' He described the house as filthy, with the victim's room in 'absolute squalor'.
Wixon showed no remorse, even claiming on court steps after conviction that she had done no wrong. The victim, now 42, is under the care of a foster mother who is trying to show her a life she never had, describing her as 'a beautiful person with a lot of love to give'. The psychological and physical harm inflicted over decades has left lasting scars, with the victim having missed the prime of her life.
