Pembrokeshire Man Jailed for Historical Child Sex Abuse

A 64-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for historical child sexual abuse offences committed in Pembrokeshire during the late 1980s. 🔐

Gary Hicks was convicted of rape, two charges of indecency with a child and three counts of indecent assault for crimes committed against two young children under the age of 11 in the Milford Haven area between 1987 and 1989.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Hicks, who was aged between 27 and 29 at the time, had threatened his female victim to ensure her silence.

Prosecutor Daniel Jones told the court: “He told her if she ever told anyone about the abuse, she wouldn’t be believed and she would have no friends. Who is going to believe a young girl over a grown up?”

Judge Huw Rees commented that the threats “had the desired effect on her.”

The offences only came to light in October 2022 when the female victim disclosed what had happened, which subsequently led to the male victim coming forward.

Defence counsel Mark Kelly KC asked the court to consider the long passage of time since the offences and the impact imprisonment would have on Hicks’ 92-year-old mother and 70-year-old partner.

In addition to the 16-year sentence with an extra year on licence, Hicks must register as a sex offender for life. Both victims were granted indefinite restraining orders. He will serve a minimum of two-thirds of his sentence before being eligible for release. ⚖️