Gransnet forums

News & politics

Woman imprisoned and treated as a slave for 25 years.

(23 Posts)
Primrose53 Fri 13-Mar-26 09:19:41

news.sky.com/story/mother-who-held-woman-captive-as-a-slave-for-25-years-jailed-13518465

Absolutely shocking that this could even happen. Apparently neighbours had been suspicious on a few occasions and voiced their concerns but nothing was followed up.

That poor woman. I just cannot imagine all those years with no outside contact. Relieved to hear she is now in a safe and happy foster home.

That terrible woman has been jailed for 13 years but it should have been 25 years like the girl had to suffer. What does bother me as well is that this has happened in the past to other people with learning difficulties and lessons have not been learned.

Astitchintime Fri 13-Mar-26 09:22:49

I agree, she should have received a 25 year sentence to match the one she subjected that poor young girl to!

Just goes to show, we never know what goes on behind closed doors. Sickening to know that concerns were raised with local authorities but nothing was followed up!

Just hope the young woman heals mentally, physically and rebuilds her life.

Doodledog Fri 13-Mar-26 09:31:18

I saw that story on the News - it's dreadful, isn't it?

I also hope the victim can rebuild her life, but it will be very difficult after such a long time - particularly as she has learning difficulties to contend with too. Probably the best we can hope for is that she gets proper support from Social Services.

JaneJudge Fri 13-Mar-26 09:37:03

It's just awful sad what a cruel woman

A silver lining appears to be she has a foster home and a caring foster Mother smile

Chestnut Fri 13-Mar-26 09:42:58

These stories of imprisonment are always utterly tragic. You may remember the story of Natascha Kampusch who appeared to have recovered from her ordeal but has since gone on a downward spiral. Maybe you can never truly recover from such horrors because they can surface again years later.
Natascha Kampusch's family reveal heartbreaking twist

JaneJudge Fri 13-Mar-26 10:04:35

Chestnut

These stories of imprisonment are always utterly tragic. You may remember the story of Natascha Kampusch who appeared to have recovered from her ordeal but has since gone on a downward spiral. Maybe you can never truly recover from such horrors because they can surface again years later.
Natascha Kampusch's family reveal heartbreaking twist

Gosh, that is awful too. Why is there so much evil? sad

Fallingstar Fri 13-Mar-26 10:07:49

It’s just wicked, absolute wicked.
Human beings never cease to amaze and disgust me.

Chestnut Fri 13-Mar-26 10:13:53

I have always said that the greatest mystery in the universe is the human brain. When you think of everything that people do, we cannot begin to understand it.

TerriBull Fri 13-Mar-26 10:14:05

Modern day slavery is very wide spread and comes in various guises. We tend to think of it as a facet of ancient cultures and colonialism, but it often happens in our midst, the trafficked, the groomed, the vulnerable and disadvantaged who are at the mercy of very wicked individuals. For the perpetrators I'd lock them up and throw away the key. This is another awful case.

Doodledog Fri 13-Mar-26 10:16:18

It must be really difficult for people who have gone through something like that to trust anyone again.

fancyflowers Fri 13-Mar-26 10:36:57

What a truly horrifying case. I don't know how anyone can treat another human being like that.

We hear too often about concerns not being followed up by various agencies. It needs addressing.

I am wondering about the young girl's family, and why there wasn't more news about her as a missing person.

welbeck Fri 13-Mar-26 11:05:10

She wasn't a missing person.
Her family agreed for her to stay with the witch who was known to the family.
She purported to be caring for her.
She got hold of her disability benefits.
Why the family did not follow up I don't know.
But I think this kind of thing is much more common than we imagine.
We all need to be alert to anything that seems odd or concerning.
And call it in.
They walk amongst us.

JaneJudge Fri 13-Mar-26 11:06:14

It could be that her parents/family had learning difficulties as well?

Oreo Fri 13-Mar-26 15:42:33

I think there are more stories of this kind than come to light.
There was an awful case where travellers kept about five very vulnerable men as slaves doing jobs such as cleaning drives and menial hard outside work in all weathers kept in sordid conditions in one caravan.

Oreo Fri 13-Mar-26 15:45:02

welbeck

She wasn't a missing person.
Her family agreed for her to stay with the witch who was known to the family.
She purported to be caring for her.
She got hold of her disability benefits.
Why the family did not follow up I don't know.
But I think this kind of thing is much more common than we imagine.
We all need to be alert to anything that seems odd or concerning.
And call it in.
They walk amongst us.

That’s right, and in this case had around £100,000 in benefits over those years.
What an evil old hag to act as she did.🤬

Allira Fri 13-Mar-26 16:26:44

JaneJudge

It could be that her parents/family had learning difficulties as well?

Yes, I wondered.

It has been on our local news too and is just horrifying.

This foul woman has no remorse, couldn't care less and says she has done nothing wrong. Somehow she has managed to have ten children. One of them reported their mother so at least one has some decency. One wonders about the father(s).
The Authorities had been alerted so how she managed to get away with this for all those years is hard to imagine.

I agree she should have received 25 years and been given the worst jobs to carry out in the prison.

We did not see her foster carer but she was interviewed and seems to be a lovely person. I hope they both receive the help they need.

Allira Fri 13-Mar-26 16:33:21

The girl was not just kept as a slave, starved and sleeping in squalid conditions but Wixon tortured her too. She threw bleach on her face, cleaning fluids down her throat and knocked her teeth out with a broom handle.
The sentence should have been life imprisonment.

She really is a disgusting specimen.

Primrose53 Fri 13-Mar-26 17:17:54

I remember another similar case where a young woman with Learning difficulties was taken in by a couple in a rural part of Scotland. They took all her benefits, nobody ever checked up on her and many years later she completely “disappeared” when social services finally investigated.

As far as I remember her remains were found on their property.

Primrose53 Fri 13-Mar-26 17:21:59

This is the case but her remains were never found.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-67143023

Allira Fri 13-Mar-26 21:05:24

Oh dear!

This was not a rural location either, it was in an ordinary street in Tewkesbury. How could this happen?

I can't look at photos of Wixen, she looks evil.

JaneJudge Fri 13-Mar-26 21:48:50

Primrose53, I remember that. Also awful 😞

Esmay Sat 14-Mar-26 07:11:22

I was staying with an old friend abroad.
Each house had elaborate security wrought-iron grills over each window back and front doors and high walls due to the risk of theft.
If you didn't have a key or the remote code you couldn't get in nor out .

We got our children ready for swimming over a National holiday.
And we're loading the car with a picnic.

A girl came out from the house next door into the front garden and was crying .
She couldn't get out .
The family that she worked for had gone away for several days leaving her without enough food.
"Not again,"said my friend .
"It happens all the time ."

We got her some food and she went back indoors .
I asked my friend what could be done about it.
She said that the girl was a poor relative and had been working there for about two years
She was about 15 .Her situation was very common and her husband had told her not to interfere. He didn't want to make trouble with their wealthy influential neighbours .
They regularly gave her food and gifts of clothing ,but didn't want to be involved .

Calendargirl Sat 14-Mar-26 07:15:28

£100,000 in benefits over many years.

What a pity some checks aren’t made as to how the supposed ‘recipient’ is doing.

Just a drop in the ocean of what tax payers are funding, that money will never be repaid, of course.