JEFFREY HICKEY SENTENCED IN LIVERPOOL FOR HISTORIC SEXUAL OFFENCES
Jeffrey Hickey, 41, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court after a guilty verdict on two counts of rape and one of indecent assault related to offences committed in the mid-1990s when he was 16.He appeared via video link from prison for the hearing.
The victim, who was just 13 at the time, was subjected to forced sexual assaults, with court proceedings revealing that Hickey forcibly assaulted her.
A personal impact statement presented by prosecutor Charlotte Kenny described the lasting effects on the victim.
She stated, "Prior to these assaults, she had a happy, outgoing childhood, with aspirations to go into performance as a singer.
In the weeks that followed, she felt alone, scared, disgusted, and frightened, not knowing what to do.
It significantly impacted her education and employment prospects." The victim also disclosed that she turned to heavy drinking to cope with the trauma and endured ongoing nightmares.
The victim recalled that she revisited memories of the assault around ten years ago when she read in the Echo about Hickey's conviction for a sexual assault.
However, it was not until 2018 that she reported her own experiences to the police.
She expressed anger that Hickey was still free, able to offend again, stating, "When she finally reported the crimes to police, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her." Since the 1990s offences, Hickey's criminal record extensive, including numerous violent sexual offences.
He has been mostly incarcerated since 2008 after being assessed as a high danger to women.
His victims have varied from an elderly nursing home resident to solitary female students.
One notable incident involved Hickey climbing a drainpipe to enter a house through an open window to commit an assault.
Hickey's release from prison had been granted after he convinced the parole board that he was no longer a risk, but he continued to offend.
Defense lawyer Jonathan Duffy acknowledged Hickey now accepted guilt for the old offences, having initially claimed no recollection.
Duffy highlighted that Hickey was only 16 when the crimes occurred and had already served lengthy sentences.
Judge Tom Gilbart addressed Hickey, noting the victim's difficult journey to come forward and her emotional response to hearing his name.
He declared, "It should be a matter of great shame to you that you had this effect on another human being.
These were abhorrent offences, and you used force to subject your victim to rape and indecent assault for your own lust and control." Accordingly, Hickey was sentenced to 11 years in prison, with a requirement to serve at least two-thirds of the term before being eligible for parole.
