A woman who was kept in 'Dickensian' servitude for more than 25 years has spoken out after her abuser, Amanda Wixon, 56, was sentenced to 13 years in prison. The victim, now in her 40s, was imprisoned in Wixon's home in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, from the mid-1990s until police discovered her in 2021.
In a statement released after the sentencing at Gloucester Crown Court, the victim 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 and rebuilding her life.
The court heard that Wixon subjected the victim to physical abuse, including beatings, squirting washing-up liquid down her throat, splashing bleach on her face, shaving her head, and knocking out teeth with a broom handle. The victim lived on scraps, was forced to wash secretly at night, and could not leave the house. Her benefit money, totalling £100,000, was paid into Wixon's account.
Police body-worn camera footage showed Wixon describing the victim as 'quite reclusive' and unable to recall when she last had a bath. The victim's room was described as a prison cell, and she had scarring and calluses from constant cleaning. Social services had been involved in the late 1990s but had no further contact, despite neighbours raising concerns.
Wixon was found guilty of false imprisonment, forced labour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The charity Unseen, which helps victims of modern slavery, reported a 37% rise in victims in 2025 compared to 2024, calling for better training to identify signs of domestic servitude.
