Amanda Wixon Sentenced for Captivity
Amanda Wixon, a 56-year-old woman from Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for keeping a woman captive for over 25 years. The victim, who was just 16 years old when she was first held, endured severe abuse and was forced to live in what has been described as ‘Dickensian conditions’.
The victim was discovered by police in March 2021 after a tip-off, leading to the revelation of her harrowing situation. During her captivity, she was not allowed to leave the house and lived off scraps, washing secretly at night. Reports indicate that she was subjected to physical assaults, including beatings and being doused with bleach.
Wixon’s actions resulted in the victim being deprived of her freedom and subjected to years of control and abuse. The victim’s benefit money, totaling £100,000, was paid into Wixon’s account, further illustrating the extent of the exploitation. Following her rescue, the victim has been receiving support from a foster family and has reportedly been on three holidays since her release.
In court, the judge noted the ‘Dickensian quality’ of the victim’s situation, highlighting the severity of her mistreatment. The victim has expressed the profound impact of her experience, stating, “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.”
There have been calls for social services to explain why the victim was not rescued earlier, as it took five years for the case to reach court. A carer involved in the victim’s recovery remarked, “I think social services should be more alert and then maybe no one else will go through what she has been through.” Another individual, Sam Jones, emphasized the failures of social services, stating, “The fact remains that nothing was done by social services.”
The victim, now 40 years old, has begun to rebuild her life, but she has made it clear that nothing can give her back the 25 years she lost. The case has drawn attention to the issue of modern slavery, with 6,600 reported victims in 2025 alone, underscoring the need for increased vigilance and support from authorities.
As the community processes the implications of this case, the focus remains on ensuring that such abuses do not happen again. The story of Amanda Wixon and her victim serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in addressing modern slavery and the responsibilities of social services to protect vulnerable individuals.