A British woman who kept a vulnerable woman as her captive slave for more than 20 years has been found guilty of several criminal charges.
Amanda Wixon, 56, forced the victim to do manual labor, regularly assaulted the woman, and deprived her of food and healthcare, Gloucestershire Constabulary said. According to Sky News, Wixon has 10 children and used the victim as a house slave.
"Wixon kept an extremely vulnerable victim captive in appalling conditions for over two decades," Detective Constable Emma Jackson said. "Instead of caring for her, as she was supposed to, she exploited her and forced her to work in domestic servitude whilst subjecting her to the most cruel and inhumane treatment."
The victim is now in her 40s and has learning disabilities. Police said the woman knew Wixon through family connections and has spent time Wixon and her family when she was a child.
According to police, Wixon moved the victim into her family home in 1996 and began exploiting her. Police released pictures of the squalid conditions in which the victim was kept.
Police said the vicim was locked in the home and deprived of food and money, despite Wixon collecting and controlling the victims benefits since 2000. The victim was given one meal a day - the leftovers and scraps of the family's meals.
The victim was forced to complete housework, and if she did not, she was beaten. Police said that on different occasions, the victim was strangled, had cleaning fluids poured on her face and down her throat, and had her head forced into the toilet.
Wixon also stamped on the victim and hit her in the face with a broom handle, causing her to lose her teeth. She would also forcibly shave off the victim's hair, despite the victim wanting it long.
When Wixon discovered the victim had been given a mobile phone, she took it from her and hit her in the face with it, giving her a black eye. She then smashed the phone with a hammer, police said.
The ordeal finally came to an end in March 2021 when the victim used a hidden cell phone to call for help.
"On arrival, officers described how the victim appeared frightened, gaunt and malnourished and smelt strongly of body odor. Her hair was cropped close to her head and she had bruises on her arms," police said.
The victim was taken to a hospital where doctors noted scarring around her mouth, thought to be due to contact with cleaning fluids, and calluses on her ankles, which were consistent with the victim's account of spending hours on her knees sweeping the floor, police said.
"I commend the victim in this case for reaching out for help. Knowing all too well what the violent consequences would have been if she'd been caught, it was incredibly courageous of her," Jackson said. "I'm pleased to say that the victim, with the help of her wonderful Shared Lives carer, is now flourishing. She's healthy and enjoying the freedoms Wixon denied her of for so long."
After a 13-day trial, Wixon was convicted of 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. Wixon is out on bail and will be sentenced in March.
"Amanda Wixon subjected the victim in this case to decades of unimaginable cruelty, exploitation and control. She was denied her freedom, her dignity, and even the most basic autonomy. The progress she has made since being removed from this oppressive environment is a testament to her strength," Senior Crown Prosecutor Laura Burgess said.
"Our thoughts remain with her as she continues to rebuild her life, and I hope she can find some comfort in seeing justice delivered today."
