In a shocking case of prolonged abuse, Amanda Wixon, a mother of ten, kept a young woman captive in her Gloucestershire home for over two decades. The victim, who was the daughter of Wixon’s friend, was subjected to horrific conditions and regular beatings during her 25-year ordeal.
The woman, now in her mid-40s, was just 16 years old when she moved into Wixon’s squalid residence in 1995. She was forced to live in deplorable conditions, with limited access to food and no ability to leave the house. The woman was also subjected to various forms of abuse, including being hit with a broom handle, having washing-up liquid squirted down her throat, and having bleach splashed on her face.
Wixon, 56, was found guilty of six charges, including compulsory labour, false imprisonment, and assault, by a jury. However, she showed no remorse when confronted by her victim outside the courtroom, responding with a terse “Not a lot” when asked what she had to say to the woman.
The family home in the Prior Park area of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, was described as overcrowded and in a squalid condition, with mould on the walls, peeling plaster, and rubbish in the back garden. The court heard that social services were involved with the family in the late 1990s, but there were no records of any contact since then, leading the prosecution to state that “the fact remains that nothing was done by social services.”
The defence lawyer, Edward Hollingsworth, attempted to downplay the severity of the abuse, suggesting that the prosecution’s case was a “tale of fantasy and lies” and that the other children in the family also lived in squalid conditions with neglected teeth and head lice. However, the judge, Ian Lawrie KC, described the case as having a “Dickensian quality” and acknowledged the woman’s learning difficulties and her own “dysfunctional family” background.
The victim, who has not been named, told police that she “doesn’t want to be here” and that she “doesn’t feel safe” due to the constant beatings from Wixon. She also revealed that she had not washed for years and was not allowed to leave the house.
As Wixon faces a lengthy prison sentence, the case has once again highlighted the importance of vigilance and intervention by authorities to protect vulnerable individuals from prolonged abuse and exploitation.
