BRADY HICKMAN SENTENCED IN GLOUCESTER FOR PREDATORY SEXUAL OFFENSES AGAINST ELDERLY WOMAN
Brady Hickman, 33, was convicted of stalking and attacking an elderly woman in Gloucester, resulting in a lengthy prison sentence.Hickman had surveilled his victim’s home, watching through a window as she fell asleep, before making his move.
He broke into her residence during the night, removing all his clothing in the hallway prior to entering her bedroom.
The court heard that the disabled woman, in her 70s, awoke in the early hours of November 11 last year to find Hickman standing in her doorway.
Prosecutor James Tucker described the scene: "She went to bed at about 1:15 a.m.
and took off her glasses, unaware that she was being watched by Hickman, a known sex offender and burglar." Witnesses had seen Hickman lurking in the shadows the previous evening, indicating he was aware of the woman's vulnerability.
Hickman entered the house through a window left open for ventilation, then quickly removed all his clothes.
The woman was startled awake when he opened her bedroom door and saw him naked in the doorway.
She was unable to identify his features clearly due to her glasses being off, but he told her, "Don’t make a noise." She pleaded with him not to hurt her.
During the attack, Hickman raped her and ominously told her he had been in prison.
The victim told the court, "I believe I am suffering from PTSD and it is affecting me in many aspects of my life.
I am having flashbacks.
It will take me a long time to get over what happened." After the assault, she encouraged him to leave, believing he could go home, and she lay on the bed waiting for him to depart.
She managed to escape and called the police, locking herself in the bathroom out of fear when she heard the front door close.
The police arrived shortly after.
In a victim impact statement, she described feeling completely violated and stripped of her dignity, leading her to move homes.
She also shared her ongoing struggles, stating, "I have been suffering from panic attacks since it all happened, causing me to have a constant headache and dizzy spells." Hickman, of Philip Street, Gloucester, admitted to charges of rape and two counts of assault by penetration.
The court learned he has prior convictions for burglary, assault, and robbery, and as an 18-year-old, he sexually assaulted a teenage girl.
Defense lawyer Sarah Jenkins acknowledged Hickman’s remorse, noting that he had expressed to a probation officer that he entered the victim’s home with the intent to rape, describing it as a bad thought.
Judge Michael Cullum condemned Hickman as dangerous, stating, "On November 11, you changed the course of her life irretrievably.
Life was already difficult for her, and your actions—waiting in the shadows and stripping naked—showed clear intent to commit rape." The judge emphasized the physical and psychological harm inflicted, reflecting, "She must have feared for her life.
She was entitled to feel safe in her own home.
I doubt she will ever again.
The harm you caused her is incalculable." Hickman was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, with eligibility for parole after serving two-thirds.
The remaining sentence will be on license for the full 15 years.
Additionally, Hickman was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and issued a restraining order preventing contact with the victim, directly or indirectly.
Detective Sergeant Faye Satchwell-Bennett praised the victim’s resilience, stating, "The victim has shown amazing strength and courage, and has asked us to say thank you to our officers and the community for their support and for helping her feel safe again." The officer also condemned Hickman’s actions, describing him as a significant threat to women and appropriate justice being served through his incarceration.
