Liverpool 2021-06-25

Jeffrey Hickey 44

Serial sex offender raped girl, 13, and 'stole her childhood'.

Profile Picture
Offender ID: O-0959

Locations

No fixed address.

Description

Jeffrey Hickey has been assessed as posing a high danger to women

A serial sex offender was jailed after historic offences came to light.

Jeffrey Hickey, 41, appeared by video link from prison for sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court.

He was convicted last week after a trial of two counts of rape and one of indecent assault.

His victim was just 13 years old at the time the offences were committed in the mid-1990s, while he was 16 years old.

The court heard Hickey forced himself on the victim.

A personal impact statement on behalf of the victim was read out by Charlotte Kenny, prosecuting, who said: "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 said she felt alone, scared, disgusted and frightened, and didn't know what to do.

"It had a serious impact on her education and subsequent employment opportunities.

"She became isolated and began drinking alcohol heavily to try to forget what happened to her and find relief from the nightmare she was having every day."

The ordeal was brought back to her around 10 years ago when she read in the ECHO that Hickey had been convicted of a sexual assault, but it was 2018 before she brought her own experiences to the attention of police.

Miss Kenny said: "She felt angry the defendant was still free and able to assault other women."

The victim said that when she finally reported the crimes she had suffered at the hands of Hickey to police it felt "like a huge ton of bricks had been lifted from her."

The court heard that since the offences were committed in the 1990s, Hickey had had a long subsequent history of violent sexual offences, and had been more or less constantly in prison since 2008 as he was assessed as posing a high danger to women.

His victims ranged from an elderly resident in a nursing home, to lone female students returning home.

On one occasion, he climbed up a drainpipe and entered a house through an open window to carry out an assault.

The offences had occurred while Hickey had been set free from prison after convincing the parole board he no longer posed a danger to women.

Jonathan Duffy, defending, said Hickey now "accepted his guilt" over the historic rape offences, after initially claiming he had no recollection of them.

Mr Duffy said: "He has already served very long sentences of imprisonment. His principal mitigation is that at the time he committed these offences, he was 16 years old."

The Recorder, Tom Gilbart, told Hickey: "It took many years for the victim to report these matters to police.

"She has said you stole her childhood and just hearing your name makes her feel physically sick.

"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 to satisfy your lust and exercise control on her."

Mr Gilbart sentenced Hickey to a total of 11 years in prison, of which he must serve two-thirds before he is considered for release.

Source Update