Online Reporter
LONDON. — A woman imprisoned, and forced to work for a mother of 10 for more than a quarter of a century in “Dickensian” conditions, has said nothing can give her back her lost years as her abuser was sentenced to 13 years.
The woman, who was held by Amanda Wixon The woman lived off scraps, could not leave the house in Gloucestershire, and was forced to wash secretly at night.
Her benefit money was paid into Wixon’s account.
In newly released voice notes found by police, the victim gave an insight into her plight. In one, she said: “I was in agony last night, I was crying . . . I had no one to speak to.”
In another, she said: “Wish I could go out, take Marley [the family’s dog] for a walk every day of the week, wish I could do that but I can’t.”
Footage taken from police bodyworn-cameras reveals that when police found the woman, Wixon told them her victim was “quite reclusive”.
Asked when the woman last had a bath, Wixon said: “I can’t really remember.”
Gloucester crown court heard that the woman, who has learning disabilities, was 16 when she moved into Wixon’s home in the mid-1990s and was supposed to stay only for the weekend but remained there until she was discovered by police in 2021.
When officers found the woman after receiving a tipoff, she had scarring to her lips and face and large calluses on her feet and ankles from being constantly on her hands and knees cleaning floors.
The house was overcrowded and had mould on the walls, crumbling plaster and rubbish in the back garden.
They described the woman’s room as being like a prison cell.
Sam Jones, for the prosecution, told the jury during Wixon’s trial earlier this year that the victim had disappeared from society.
The court heard social services were involved with the family in the late 1990s, but there was no record of contact since.
Jones said: “The fact remains that nothing was done by social services.”
He said there were no medical or dental records for the woman, and she had not seen a doctor in two decades. — BBC
