Grim photographs reveal the appalling living conditions endured by a captive woman held hostage in a Tewkesbury home for nearly 25 years.
Amanda Wixon, 56, a mother of ten from the Priors Park area, was found guilty at Gloucester Crown Court of multiple modern slavery offenses, including forced labor, false imprisonment, and assault. The shocking details of her crimes only came to light after her arrest in March 2021.
The victim, now in her 40s and living with learning difficulties, was just 16 when Wixon took her in. Over the years, Wixon exploited and abused her, forcing her to perform heavy manual labor under threats of violence, denying her adequate food, healthcare, money, and basic autonomy.
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Gloucestershire Police described the victim’s living conditions as squalid. She was locked indoors, deprived of benefits paid into Wixon’s bank account, and forced to live in poverty, wearing only hand-me-down clothes. The victim spent hours each day performing menial household tasks such as sweeping floors on her knees, serving meals, washing dishes, and sorting the family’s clothing.
The home was overcrowded and rundown, with mould-covered walls, peeling plaster, and rubbish strewn across the garden. Police officers who responded to the emergency call described the victim as frightened, gaunt, and malnourished, with her bedroom resembling a prison cell.
On March 15, 2021, after feeling unwell, the victim managed to reach out for help using a secret phone. This led police to intervene, remove her from the abusive environment, and take her to hospital for assessment. Since her rescue, she has been recovering with the assistance of a carer and is now reportedly thriving, reclaiming the freedoms she was denied for so long.
Wixon, who denies the charges and described her conviction as “rubbish,” was released on bail pending sentencing, scheduled for March 12 at Gloucester Crown Court.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Laura Burgess condemned Wixon’s “unimaginable cruelty, exploitation, and control,” highlighting the victim’s resilience in overcoming years of oppression. Justice is set to be served, offering hope and closure to the survivor.