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A mother-of-ten who forced a teenage girl to work as a house slave for 25 years has been jailed for 13 years.
Amanda Wixon, 56, subjected the female to years of abuse at her squalid home in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.
The victim, who is now in her mid-40s, was 16 when she moved into Wixon’s home in 1995 and remained there until 2021.
Gloucester Crown Court heard the woman – who now refers to Wixon as "The Witch" – was regularly beaten and also hit with a broom handle, knocking out her teeth.
Passing sentence Judge Ian Lawrie KC said Wixon was in "permanent denial" about the impact of her offending on the woman.
The family home in the Priors Park area of Tewkesbury was overcrowded, in a squalid condition, with mould on the walls, plaster hanging off and rubbish in the back garden.
Wixon was found guilty by a jury of false imprisonment, two charges of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour, and four charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
“The gravity of your offending is so serious that I am imposing a significant period of custody,” the judge added.
“You are to be punished for a series of offences spanning 20 years. You cruelly and persistently held captive this woman. This false imprisonment ran from her later teens until early 40s.
“The enduring persistent trauma of that slavery remains. This offending was not isolated and was persistent over many years.”
During the sentencing hearing of Amanda Wixon at Gloucester Crown Court, Sam Jones, prosecuting, read a note the victim had written to the court.
The woman, who is not being identified, said: “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.
“I am now living with a wonderful family who show me kindness, patience and support.
“Their love is helping me slowly rebuild the life that was taken from me and begin to feel safe again.
“Nothing can give me back the 25 years I lost.
“But I hope the court recognises the deep and lasting harm this abuse has caused and delivers a sentence that truly reflects the seriousness of these crimes.”
