Exclusive: Inside the 'House of Horrors' Where Brit Mum Kept Slave for 25 Years
Amanda Wixon has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for keeping a vulnerable woman enslaved for 25 harrowing years in her Tewkesbury home. Ahead of the sentencing, the Mirror's Julia Banim visited the shabby Gloucestershire property, describing it as a place that shook her to the core.
A Dark Fairytale in an Ordinary Home
The exterior of Wixon's house in the Priors Park area doesn't immediately suggest a classic witch's lair. A sickly sweet wishing well sits in the front garden, and wind chimes tinkle at the door. Yet, neighbours huddle in watchful circles, outraged that such a diabolical crime unfolded right under their noses.
"Has Mandy locked you up too?" one teenager shouted as the Mirror arrived, indicating Wixon has already entered local folklore. The victim, known as K, was just 16 with learning difficulties when she went for a weekend sleepover in 1997, unwittingly entering a decades-long nightmare.
The Grim Reality Behind Closed Doors
For 25 years, K was forced to work as an unpaid, viciously abused servant in Wixon's grim, mouldy home. She cared for Wixon's 10 children and performed endless menial tasks against her will. While K wasn't paid a penny, Wixon cashed her social security checks, with neighbours dubbing her the 'scratch card queen' for her spending habits.
K's enslavement is perhaps the most horrifying aspect. By the time she escaped, she was in her forties, her youth stolen. Her teeth were gone from neglect and assaults, her feet calloused from scrubbing, and she was malnourished from living off scraps. Wixon denied her medical treatment, bathing, and even sheared her hair against her wishes.
Escape and Discovery
In 2021, K used a secretly hidden phone to alert police, stating, "I don't want to be here. I don't feel safe." Officers found the 'house of horrors' overcrowded and filthy, with K's bedroom resembling a damp, abandoned cell. A secret list of phone numbers was stashed under her pillow.
Community Shock in Tewkesbury
The crime has stunned Tewkesbury, a photogenic market town with a close-knit community. Abbey Galleries owner Chris Oxlade-Arnott noted, "It's a very close community. Absolutely everyone knows what's going on... Probably why it's more of a shock."
Neighbours expressed fury that Wixon was allowed to return home after her conviction, with some seeing her in local pubs bold as brass. Despite her jovial facade—throwing Halloween parties and inviting neighbours for Christmas treats—Wixon was denying K any real happiness.
Mixed Reactions and Lingering Questions
Some viewed Wixon with sympathy, recalling her as a busy person who volunteered and cared for her ageing father. Others remembered her as a shy child with no red flags. Local woman Debbie Henney, who knew Wixon's son, said, "We both worked in care, so it says a lot really, doesn't it?"
Residents like Pamela Forsdyke questioned how such a crime could happen in Tewkesbury, while others criticised the town's idyllic image, citing class divides and petty crimes. The case raises concerns about exploiting those with additional needs, as cafe worker Megan emphasised.
Sentencing and Aftermath
Wixon was convicted of assault, false imprisonment, and forced labour, showing no emotion at Gloucester Crown Court. Neighbours hoped to witness her sentencing but were allegedly told the gallery would be closed. K is now in a shared lives placement, recovering with a foster mother, though the trauma lingers.
As the town heals unevenly, gallery owner Chris highlighted the unique nature of the crimes, stating, "There's nothing we can do as a town to make sure it won't happen again because it's something that's quite unique." The case serves as a stark reminder of hidden horrors in plain sight.
