A woman who held another woman captive as a “house slave” for 25 years in appalling conditions has been sentenced to 13 years in prison. Amanda Wixon, a mother of 10 from Tewkesbury, was convicted of multiple charges including forced labor, false imprisonment, and assault at Gloucester Crown Court.
Wixon took in her victim, her friend’s daughter, in 1997 and kept her confined until March 2021, when Wixon’s son alerted the authorities. The victim, described as “vulnerable,” was subjected to physical abuse, forced to care for Wixon’s children, and maintain the household.
During the trial, it was revealed that the victim was physically assaulted with a broom handle, had bleach thrown on her face, and was forcibly shaved. In a poignant statement read in court, the victim, whose identity remains confidential, expressed enduring trauma and nightmares from the abuse.
The victim recounted her 25 years of living in fear and control, emphasizing the lasting impact of the abuse. She highlighted the support of her current caring family in helping her rebuild her life. Despite the lost years, she hoped for a fitting sentence that acknowledges the severity of the crimes committed against her.
Details emerged of the victim being confined indoors, washing in secret at night, and surviving on scraps. Police discovered her in her 40s, with visible injuries and missing teeth due to the abuse she endured. She had been forced to live in unsanitary conditions resembling a prison cell.
The defendant, Wixon, denied several charges but was found guilty of most, including assault and forced labor. The family home where the abuse occurred was described as overcrowded and dilapidated, with unsanitary living conditions.
Upon rescue, the victim informed the authorities of the ongoing abuse, lack of safety, and neglect she endured. Social services had previous involvement with the family, but no recent records were found. Concerns were raised about the lack of medical attention and neglect the victim suffered for two decades.
Neighbors described the victim’s appearance as emaciated and bearing signs of physical abuse. One likened her to a concentration camp survivor, while another witnessed her being physically assaulted. The court emphasized the severity of the crimes and the long-lasting harm caused to the victim.