British mum-of-10 kept woman as slave for 25 years before she was reported by own son

A woman forced a teenage girl to work as a 'house slave' for her 10 children at her home in Gloucester for 25 years.

The victim, who has no medical records because she hadn't seen a doctor during that time, was 16 when she moved into the property in 1995 and remained there until 2021.

Gloucester Crown Court heard that the woman was regularly beaten and hit by a broom at the hands of homeowner, Amanda Wixon, 56.

It was alleged she was not allowed to leave the house in Tewkesbury where she was squirted with washing-up liquid down her throat, bleach splashed on her face and had her head shaved against her will.

Wixon also limited her food as officers described her room similar to that of a 'prison cell'.

It was only until one of Wixon’s sons informed police about what had been going on when her crimes came to light.

The woman who worked as a 'house slave' was found by police on 15 March 2021, after one of Wixon's sons raised concerns (Gloucestershire Constabulary)

The defendant denied a charge of false imprisonment, two charges of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour, and four charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

However, Wixon was found guilty of all charges apart from one in relation to assault.

The woman - who had lost most of her teeth due to poor hygiene - said to police: “I don’t want to be here. I don’t feel safe. Mandy hits me all the time. I don’t like it.

“I haven’t washed for years. She doesn’t let me.”

Sam Jones, prosecuting, told 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 the threats of violence.

Wixon replied 'not a lot' when asked if she had anything to say to the victim outside of court (Gloucestershire Constabulary)

“She had been denied food and the ability to wash over many years.”

He added: “The lack of records from the hospital, the doctor and the dentist or any involvement with social services for 20 years provides further support of her never being allowed to leave the house.

“By the late 1990s it appears the woman disappeared into a black hole. Not a single meeting that left a record or a single sighting of her outside the house.”

A former neighbour, who lived next door to Wixon and her family growing up, said she 'deserved' a prison sentence.

“She can rot in hell. Good luck to her in prison is all I’ve got to say,” she said outside court.

“She deserved it and I cannot wait for sentencing day.”

Wixon has been released on conditional bail and will be sentenced on 12 March.