Woman found guilty of 25-year captivity and modern-day slavery

January 22, 2026

A woman has been convicted of holding another woman with learning disabilities in captivity for 25 years and exploiting her as a domestic slave.

Mandy Wixon, a 56-year-old mother of 10, forced the vulnerable victim to clean her filthy, overcrowded home in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, while surviving on leftovers. The abuse included having washing-up liquid forced into her mouth, bleach thrown on her face, and her head repeatedly shaved without consent.

At Gloucester Crown Court, Judge Ian Lawrie described the case as having a “Dickensian” nature. Wixon was found guilty of false imprisonment, forcing a person into compulsory labour, and assault causing actual bodily harm. Reporting restrictions had previously prevented the BBC from publishing details of the case.

The court heard that the victim, known as K, came from a difficult background and was handed over to Wixon around 1996, when she was about 16, due to a loose family connection. Now in her 40s, K was discovered by police on 15 March 2021 after one of Wixon’s sons raised concerns about her safety.

Evidence revealed K was frequently beaten, including being struck with a broom handle that knocked out her teeth. Her food intake was controlled, she was confined to the house, and was forced to wash secretly at night. Police described her bedroom as resembling a “prison cell,” with the rest of the house also in a filthy state. At times, as many as 13 people were living there.

Like others in the household, K had lost many teeth due to severe neglect. When found, she bore scars on her face and lips from bleach burns and had heavy calluses on her feet and ankles from spending long hours on her hands and knees cleaning.

K told officers she felt unsafe and was constantly assaulted by Wixon. Medical examinations showed she was malnourished, and dental specialists said she had endured years of severe pain from untreated infections and abscesses.

Detective Sergeant Alex Pockett said the victim was visibly terrified when officers arrived, while prosecutor Sam Jones told the jury that by the late 1990s, K had effectively vanished from public view, with no records or sightings outside the house for decades.

Wixon was granted conditional bail and is due to be sentenced on 12 March. When asked outside court if she had anything to say to the victim, she responded dismissively and denied the offences, stating she was not sorry.

Since her rescue, K has been living with a foster family, attending college, and travelling abroad. Police said she is now thriving and living a healthy life. Senior Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor Laura Burgess praised K’s resilience, saying her recovery highlights her strength and expressing hope that the verdict brings her some sense of justice as she rebuilds her life.