In a case that has sent shockwaves throughout the United Kingdom, Amanda Wixon, a 56-year-old mother of ten from Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after being found guilty of holding a vulnerable woman captive as a slave for more than a quarter of a century. The story, which has been described by authorities as one of the most horrific modern-day slavery cases ever seen in the region, reveals years of abuse, manipulation, and unimaginable suffering endured by the victim, known to the public only as “K.”
According to Sky News, Wixon’s crimes came to light in March 2021, when one of her own sons tipped off the police. Officers arriving at the house found “K,” now in her 40s, living in conditions described as squalid and degrading. Her bedroom was likened to a “prison cell” — a basic bed with filthy sheets, bare plaster walls streaked with mold, and no light bulb. The rest of the house was untidy and dirty, but it was the victim’s living quarters that painted the starkest picture of neglect and cruelty.
“K” was just 16 years old when she moved into Wixon’s home in 1995, having known her abuser through family connections. From that point until her rescue in 2021, she was subjected to relentless physical and psychological abuse. As reported by The Independent, Wixon forced her to shave her hair, beat her with a broom handle — knocking out her teeth — squirted washing-up liquid down her throat, and splashed bleach on her face. Wixon would lock her in the house, deprive her of food and healthcare, and force her to live off “scraps.” The victim’s foster mother later recounted that when “K” first arrived at her new home, she was so traumatized she “didn’t want me to hug her,” and that it took weeks of gentle support before she could accept affection.
The abuse was not only physical. Wixon systematically stripped “K” of her dignity and autonomy. She was made to look after Wixon’s children, sweeping the floors for hours on her knees — a claim corroborated by the calluses found on her ankles by medical professionals. As ITV News revealed, Wixon would not allow her to wash herself, forcing her to do so in secret at night. The detective superintendent on the case, Ian Fletcher, shared that Wixon “didn’t see her as a human being,” instead treating her as a slave to make her own life easier. “She was treated very, very differently to Amanda’s own children,” he said.
Financial exploitation was also at the heart of Wixon’s crimes. For more than 20 years, she had benefits intended for the victim paid directly into her own bank account, amassing over £100,000. Rachael Scott from the Crown Prosecution Service told ITV News that “the victim of this case was subjected to decades of torment, exploitation and control,” and that she “was denied her freedom, made to live in appalling physical and emotional conditions and forced to act on the whim of a woman who imprisoned her.”
Perhaps most chilling was the psychological hold Wixon maintained over her victim. “K” referred to her abuser as “The Witch” and remains terrified of her even after her rescue. Her foster mother described a harrowing incident where “K” accidentally encountered Wixon in a supermarket and broke down in hysterics, running through the aisles in fear. “She’s petrified actually,” the foster mother recounted. “She went absolutely mad in the supermarket.”
The trauma inflicted by Wixon’s actions continues to haunt “K.” In a letter read to the court, she wrote: “For 25 years, I lived in fear, control and abuse. I was treated as though my life, my freedom and my voice did not matter. Although my abuser has now been found guilty, the trauma and the nightmares are something I still carry with me every day. Nothing can give me back the 25 years I lost.” She also expressed gratitude for her new foster family, stating, “Their love is helping me slowly rebuild the life that was taken from me and begin to feel safe again.”
The court heard further disturbing details: Wixon would cut “K’s” hair whenever she tried to wash it, and even covered the windows with black bin liners to prevent her from seeing sunlight. “One of K’s dreams was to see sunlight,” Detective Superintendent Fletcher told ITV News. He also detailed the victim’s severe malnourishment, abscessed teeth, and general poor health upon rescue. “She has got a caring environment around her, but this is going to cause a significant trauma, probably for the rest of her life,” he added.
During sentencing at Gloucester Crown Court in January 2026, Judge Ian Lawrie KC addressed Wixon directly, stating, “The gravity of your offending is so serious that I am imposing a significant period of custody. This offending was not isolated and was persistent over many years.” Wixon was convicted of modern-day slavery offences, including two counts of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour, one count of false imprisonment, and three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. She was acquitted of one further count of assault. Wixon will serve two-thirds of her 13-year sentence, according to Sky News.
Outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Shore-Nye of Gloucestershire Police remarked, “There is no prison sentence that could reflect the pain and suffering Wixon has inflicted on the victim, or bring back the decades she stole from her.” He emphasized the importance of vigilance in society, urging people to “question things that don’t look or feel right and to speak up for those who may not be able to speak up for themselves.”
The case has raised serious questions about how such abuse could go undetected for so long. Social services had some contact with the Wixon family in the late 1990s, but, as the foster mother pointed out to The Independent, there were no further records after that. The victim reportedly tried to seek help, but her pleas were “brushed off.” The foster mother has called for an inquiry into how the authorities failed to intervene, declaring, “There needs to be a shake-up. I hope that nobody else goes through what she’s been through.”
Despite the horrors she endured, “K” is now making progress. She is living with a foster family who show her “kindness, patience and support,” attending college, and receiving therapy. Her journey to recovery is ongoing, with her foster mother expressing hope that, in time, she will be able to heal from her ordeal.
As the nation grapples with the disturbing details of this case, it serves as a stark reminder that modern-day slavery can exist behind closed doors, often hidden in plain sight. For “K,” the road ahead is long, but her courage in the face of unimaginable adversity stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.