Neighbour's Distress Over 25-Year Enslavement Case in Tewkesbury
Amanda Wixon, a 56-year-old mother of ten, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for subjecting a woman with learning disabilities to a horrific 25-year ordeal of enslavement in her Tewkesbury home. Wixon was convicted of false imprisonment, forced labour, and multiple counts of assault causing actual bodily harm, with neighbours expressing revulsion at the prolonged abuse they witnessed.
Decades of Abuse and Neglect Uncovered
The victim, abducted in 1997 at age 16 while a secondary school pupil, was held captive until her escape in 2021. During the trial at Gloucestershire Crown Court, it was revealed she suffered brutal physical and psychological abuse, leaving her "looking like something out of a concentration camp". When rescued, she was toothless, with large calluses on her feet and ankles from scrubbing floors on her hands and knees.
Neighbour Kiram, 33, provided a statement to police detailing observations from age 13, including seeing the victim assaulted "like a rag doll" and forced to perpetually sit on her legs. "It was revolting," Kiram told the Mirror. "I made phone calls to social services, but nothing was ever done. The last time they were notified was back in 2019."
Systemic Failures and Heartless Responses
The court heard how social services failed to intervene despite multiple reports, with the victim diagnosed with global development delay and other learning difficulties. Wixon displayed no remorse, telling journalists post-conviction she had "Not a lot" to say to her victim and denying wrongdoing when asked if she was sorry.
Prosecutor Sam Jones informed the jury: "She was kept in and prevented from leaving the address, and she was assaulted and hit many, many times and forced to work with threats of violence. She had been denied food and the ability to wash over many years." The victim was confined to a mouldy, damp bedroom akin to a prison cell, with Wixon securing all windows and doors.
Financial Exploitation and Psychological Impact
Wixon amassed thousands of pounds by diverting the victim's benefits into her own account while subjecting her to ongoing abuse. The victim, meant to stay for a weekend as the daughter of a friend, became trapped for decades. Since rescue, she has moved in with a foster family, had dentures fitted, and gone on holidays abroad, but continues to suffer nightmares and a persistent urge to clean.
Dr Ruth Tully, Consultant Forensic Psychologist, explained: "People who commit crimes like this often target people with existing vulnerabilities... They start the process of abuse slowly, normalising bad treatment, which then becomes extreme. Perpetrators are often indifferent to the suffering of their victim."
Community Shock and Legal Proceedings
Other neighbours described the household as "filthy" but were unaware of the captivity. One questioned: "Why did none of them ever questioned why she was being treated that way? Why were they never made to scrub the floors?" Detective Sergeant Alex Pockett of Gloucestershire Police stated: "I've not come across a case like this, and it's clear that it's had a massive impact on the victim."
Wixon's defence team argued the allegations were a "tale of fantasy and lies", claiming her other children faced similar neglect. However, Judge Ian Lawrie KC deemed a prison sentence "a certainty", highlighting the severity of the crimes. The victim's escape in 2021 was facilitated by a hidden mobile phone, with bodycam footage showing her unwashed and petrified, telling police: "I don't want to be here. I don't feel safe."
