A predatory sex offender, Brady Hickman, has been jailed for raping an elderly woman in her own home in Gloucester. The incident occurred in the early hours of 11 November 2023, when Hickman, aged 33, targeted a vulnerable disabled pensioner in her 70s.
According to details presented at Gloucester Crown Court, Hickman had been lurking in the shadows outside the victim's address from the previous evening. He staked out her home, watching through a window as she went to bed around 1:15am and fell asleep. Knowing her vulnerability, he waited until she was dozing before entering through an open window intended to let in fresh air. Once inside, Hickman quickly removed all his clothing in the hallway and proceeded to the bedroom.
The victim awoke to see a naked man standing in her doorway. Without her glasses, she could not make out details, but Hickman instructed her, 'Don’t make a noise.' She complied, pleading with him not to hurt her. Prosecuting barrister James Tucker described the attack: Hickman then raped the woman and, during the assault, unnecessarily threatened her by revealing he had been in prison before. The victim encouraged him to leave, lying on the bed until she heard the front door close. Out of fear, she locked herself in the bathroom until police arrived.
In her victim impact statement, the woman expressed profound trauma: 'I felt totally violated and stripped of my dignity.' She has since moved home and reported suffering from panic attacks, constant headaches, dizzy spells, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with flashbacks affecting every aspect of her life. She stated, 'It will take me a long time to get over what happened.'
Hickman, of Philip Street in Gloucester, pleaded guilty to rape and two charges of assault by penetration. The court heard he has prior convictions for burglary, assault, robbery, and a sexual assault on a teenage girl when he was 18. Defending barrister Sarah Jenkins noted that Hickman admitted to the probation officer his intention to rape from the moment he entered, describing it as a 'bad thought,' and expressed remorse.
Judge Michael Cullum deemed Hickman dangerous, stating: 'On November 11, you changed the course of her life irretrievably. Life was already difficult for her. You had been waiting around in the area and lurking in the shadows. In my judgement, you had an intention to rape and that is quite clear from your first act of stripping naked. 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 to her is incalculable.' The sentencing reflects the severity of the predatory burglary and sexual offence, as reported by The Independent.