Gloucestershire Woman Jailed for 20 Years Holding Victim Captive
A brutal abuse case has shocked Gloucestershire after Amanda Wixon, 56, was found guilty of imprisoning and tormenting a vulnerable woman for more than two decades. The Tewkesbury woman forced her victim into slave labour and denied her basic needs in a sickening campaign of cruelty.
Gruesome Abuse Exposed at Gloucester Crown Court
Wixon was convicted on Wednesday following a 13-day trial at Gloucester Crown Court. She faces multiple charges, including:
- Two counts of forced or compulsory labour
- False imprisonment
- Three counts of assault causing actual bodily harm
The victim, a woman in her 40s with learning difficulties, was trapped in horrific conditions from 1996. Wixon took control of her life, locking her inside the home, starving her, denying medical care, and forcing her into endless chores under the threat of violence.
Horrific Torture and Neglect Revealed
Details of the abuse paint a grisly picture. The victim was made to spend hours each day on her knees, cleaning floors, serving meals, and washing the family’s clothes—all while being forbidden to wash herself. Yet she was forced to bathe the children.
Food was scarce, often just scraps. The victim endured:
- Strangulation attempts and humiliating attacks like forced head-in-toilet incidents
- Cleaning fluids poured into her face and throat
- Beatings causing lost teeth and severe bruising
- Forced shaving of her hair against her will
- Violent assaults using a broom handle and a mobile phone
Rescue and What Comes Next
On 15 March 2021, the victim finally called for help using a hidden phone. Police found her frightened, gaunt, malnourished, and covered in bruises. Her bedroom was filthy—bare plaster walls mouldy, no lightbulb, and bedding soaked in filth.
Doctors confirmed her dire physical state, noting untreated dental abscesses, scars, and calluses from hours spent kneeling.
“The victim appeared frightened, gaunt, and malnourished on our arrival,” said Gloucestershire Police. “Her rescue could not have come soon enough.”
Wixon remains in custody ahead of sentencing on 12 March.
Spot the Signs of Modern Slavery
If you suspect someone is trapped in modern slavery, act now. Contact the 24/7 Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 0121 700 or call the police on 101. In an emergency, dial 999.
