A woman who was imprisoned and forced to work for a mother of ten in 'Dickensian' conditions for more than 25 years has spoken out after her abuser was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Amanda Wixon, 56, of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, was found guilty of false imprisonment, forced labour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Gloucester Crown Court.
The victim, now in her 40s and with learning disabilities, was 16 when she moved into Wixon's home in the mid-1990s for what was supposed to be a weekend stay. She remained there until police discovered her in 2021 following a tip-off. During her captivity, she was beaten, had washing-up liquid squirted down her throat, bleach splashed on her face, and her head shaved against her will. She was hit with a broom handle, knocking out teeth, and forced to put her head down the toilet.
The woman lived off scraps, was not allowed to leave the house, and had to wash secretly at night. Her benefit money, totalling £100,000, was paid into Wixon's account. When police found her, she had scarring to her lips and face, and large calluses on her feet and ankles from constantly cleaning floors on her hands and knees. The house was overcrowded, with mould, crumbling plaster, and rubbish in the garden; her room was described as like a prison cell.
In a statement released after sentencing, 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. The trauma and the nightmares are something I still carry with me every day. Nothing can give me back the 25 years I lost.' She is now living with a foster family who are helping her rebuild her life.
The case has prompted calls for an investigation into why social services failed to intervene. The court heard that social services were involved with the family in the late 1990s but had no record of contact since. A neighbour claimed she had reported concerns but nothing was done. The charity Unseen, which supports victims of modern slavery, reported a 37% rise in victims in 2025 compared to 2024, and called for better training for professionals to identify signs of domestic servitude.
