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Daily Record
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Hayley Parker & Ruby Davies & Hannah Mackenzie Wood

Gran 'looked in eye' by daughter's 'evil' attacker as she 'got away with murder'

A devastated gran has spoken of how the 'evil' woman who assaulted her daughter hours before her death showed no emotion or remorse as she was locked up.

Susan Bray said she 'will never get over' the loss of her 'funny and bubbly' daughter Nicola Bray, who passed away roughly 18 hours after the horrifying attack.

The 64-year-old attended court to see defendant Sheila Pickerill jailed at Stafford Crown Court last week, Stoke-on-Trent Live reports.

But Susan hit out at the sentence, saying it could 'never be long enough' - and that her daughter's attacker was lucky not to have been charged with murder.

Staffordshire Police launched a murder probe after the mum-of-three's body was found at her home on Scrivener Road, in Cliffe Vale, in August, 2020.

But no murder charge was ever brought and Pickerill, 49, of Steel Street, Hanley, went on to admit a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent.

Susan, from Basford, told StokeonTrentLive: "It was heartbreaking to listen in court. The injuries what she caused to her face, they were awful. She fractured her eye socket and completely broke her jaw.

"The things that keep playing on my mind are how much did she realise the attack was going on? How long did she suffer the horrendous pain?

Nicola Bray died around 18 hours after being brutally assaulted. (Stoke-on-Trent Live)

"How can anyone consistently keep kicking or punching someone in the head?

"I was the only one allowed in the court room as I read out a statement. She's one evil person. She showed no remorse, no nothing.

"She stared me out at one point, there's nothing in her head at all, no emotions, no nothing.

"She's got away with murder and she's not bothered. You can just tell by looking at her."

Pickerill attacked Nicola at 5.30pm on August 12, 2020 - and then immediately left the property to go to Bargain Booze. She must serve four years in prison and a further two years on licence.

She said: "I know that they couldn't prove the murder charge, I sort of knew that the sentence wouldn't be as long as she deserved.

"The pathologists couldn't say 100 per cent that the injuries caused her death. They had to go with the GBH with intent instead.

"She's just an horrendous, evil person and she's very dangerous. If they let her our she will do the same to another family. She doesn't deserve to mix with anyone.

Sheila Pickerill must serve four years in prison and a further two years on licence. (Stoke-on-Trent)

"The sentence is definitely too light, but I understand that the police did their utmost to get her a higher sentence and the barrister was amazing. They all did their best.

"I'm just glad that the judge extended the sentence, so hopefully she will have to go in front of the parole board before she can be released and they will see her for what she is - evil."

Mum-of-six Susan has previously suffered the agony of losing a child.

She added: "I'll never get over losing Nicola. It's made worse by the fact that I lost her brother when he was a baby through spina bifida.

"Nicola was five when that happened and she always said she wanted to be buried with him and she is now resting with her brother. It brings me comfort that she's with her brother. It's a grave for three and I'll go in the third.

Police at the scene in Scrivener Road, Cliffe Vale. (Stoke-on-Trent Live)

"But it's absolutely heartbreaking, something I'll never, ever get over. We had had an argument months before so that's made it worse that we weren't speaking properly.

"I'll miss her every day until the day I die."

Susan revealed former Wolstanton High School had struggled with drugs after getting into the wrong crowd.

Paying tribute to Nicola, she added: "I had Nicola when I was only 17. She was just fun and bubbly. She was my girl.

"She loved her siblings, she adored them so much.

"Even though she had a drug habit, whenever she was around her family she made everyone laugh.

"I've had her youngest son since he was a baby. He's eight-years-old and the apple of my eye and I'm concentrating on him now. What else can you do?"

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