In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Amanda Wixon, 56, was convicted at Gloucester Crown Court of a “vicious” and “serious” campaign of modern slavery and physical abuse spanning more than 25 years. Wixon, of Priors Park, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, kept a woman with learning difficulties as a “house slave” in squalid conditions from 1995 until she was rescued by police in 2021.
The investigation revealed that the victim, who entered Wixon’s home at the age of 16, had effectively “disappeared into a black hole” for over two decades. Officers who raided the property described the victim’s bedroom as looking like a “prison cell.” The woman told police she had not been allowed to wash for years and was “viciously” hit by Wixon constantly.
A “Dickensian” Regime of Cruelty
The court reported that the victim was subjected to “vile” behaviour that Judge Ian Lawrie KC described as having a “Dickensian quality.” The details of the abuse included:
- Physical Violence: The victim was regularly beaten with a broom handle, which knocked out her teeth.
- Degradation: Washing-up liquid was squirted down her throat, and bleach was splashed on her face. Her head was repeatedly shaved against her will.
- Forced Labour: She was forced to clean floors on her hands and knees for so long that she developed large calluses on her feet and ankles.
- Starvation: Her food was limited to scraps, and her Body Mass Index was found to be near underweight when she was discovered.
Neighbours described the victim as looking like a “concentration camp” survivor, appearing as “skin and bone” with a shaved head.
Systemic Failure and Investigation
The prosecution emphasised that despite social services’ involvement in the late 1990s, there were no records of any contact for 20 years. The victim had no medical or dental records during this entire period.
Wixon was found guilty of:
- False imprisonment.
- Two charges of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour.
- Three charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Throughout the trial, Wixon denied all charges and showed no remorse, describing her conviction for shaving the victim’s head as “rubbish.”
Sentence and Monitoring
Following her conviction on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, Wixon was released on conditional bail pending sentencing on March 12. The court warned her that she faces a “serious” custodial sentence of up to 10 years.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Gloucestershire Constabulary manages Wixon. Her residency in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, remains under “serious” scrutiny during her bail period.
Upon her sentencing, she will be subject to strict post-release supervision. Gloucestershire Constabulary emphasise that modern slavery often happens behind closed doors in residential areas and encourages the public to report signs of domestic servitude. The victim is now living with a foster family and is receiving support to recover from her “vicious” ordeal.
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