Brockton Man Appears in Court Following Alleged Home Invasion

(NECN: Ally Donnelly, Brockton, Mass.) – Thirty-eight-year-old Brian Vines hid from the cameras in Brockton District Court Wednesday. The Level 3 sex offender is accused in a brutal home invasion Tuesday night where investigators say he attacked a 62-year-old woman alone in her Brookfield Drive home.

Prosecutors say Michele Foley opened the door to find Vines -- a man she knew because he had grown up just down the street and went to school with her now-grown sons. Vines allegedly told her he was looking for one of her sons so she let him in and offered him a bottle of water.

Vines -- who has the DA says has been out of prison for about a year and a half after serving time for two counts of rape -- then allegedly stuck a sharp object in her back and ordered her to take off her clothes. When Foley refused, he allegedly attacked her.

Police say Vines then fled with her ATM card and tried to use it at Bridgeway Liquors where they got surveillance video and photos of his car.

As Foley frantically called 911, police put out an alert on Vines’ Mercury Mountaineer and someone spotted it in Raynham.

Vines pleaded not guilty to charges including armed robbery, assault and battery and kidnapping. His attorney denies he was even there and questions his alleged confession.

Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz says the attack could have been prevented, and that two years ago he tried to have Vines civilly committed as a sexual predator, but independent evaluators did not think he was a danger.

“We persevere and I'm hopeful that this individual will get a sentence in this case where he's not going to be able to hurt anyone else,” Cruz said.

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