In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Dennis Cottee, 85, and his son Jacques Cottee, 57, were held accountable for a decades-long campaign of sexual abuse against Dennis’s two daughters. On appearing at Swindon Crown Court, it was reported that the victims—who were members of the Jehovah’s Witness community at the time of the abuse—waived their anonymity to ensure their father and brother were publicly named. Jacques Cottee, of Swindon, was jailed for three years and 10 months for incest and molestation, while Dennis Cottee, of Broad Town, Wiltshire, was ruled unfit to plead due to Alzheimer’s disease.
The investigation established the predatory and systematic nature of the abuse. Wiltshire Police reported that the elder daughter was targeted from the start of secondary school, subjected to simulated sex, and eventually raped in her mid-teens. The prosecution reported that the younger daughter’s abuse began when she was just four years old. In one harrowing account, the younger victim described being molested on a farmhouse landing while a family friend lay dying in a nearby room, forced to listen to the sounds of the woman’s final moments during the assault.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the impact of the crimes was devastating and debilitating. Swindon Crown Court heard that Dennis Cottee had used his farm and vehicles to isolate his daughters, carrying out attacks in animal sheds and parked cars in Cricklade. The investigation established that although Dennis was in palliative care and unfit for a standard trial, a “trial of the facts” was held, where a jury found 12 charges against him proven, including rape and repeated abuse.
Judge Jason Taylor QC described Dennis Cottee’s actions as evil and noted that they had left the victims emotionally and psychologically scarred for life. For his actions in Broad Town, Dennis was handed a two-year supervision order. The judge noted with a heavy heart that he was unable to pass a punitive prison sentence due to the defendant’s medical condition, stating that had Cottee been fit, he would likely have received a sentence so lengthy he would have died in jail.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in England, the status of the offenders is as follows:
- Jacques Cottee: Sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison (2019).
- Dennis Cottee: 2-year Supervision Order (Found proven 2019).
- Sex Offenders Register: Dennis Cottee must register for 5 years; Jacques Cottee for life.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Swindon Crown Court following a Wiltshire Police investigation.
- Criminal Record: Rape; Incest; Indecent assault; Gross indecency with a child.
- Origin: Broad Town, Wiltshire and Swindon, Wiltshire.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Dennis Cottee is managed by the National Probation Service under the terms of his supervision order. Due to the nature of his conduct in Wiltshire, which involved the long-term grooming and rape of his own children within a religious and farming setting, his management remains a priority for the Public Protection Unit. Authorities state that while his health is failing, his placement on the sex offenders register ensures that his residence and status are tracked to prevent any potential risk to others during his remaining years.
As a convicted sex offender, Jacques Cottee will be subject to lifelong notification requirements upon his release from prison. Authorities state that the lifelong consequences for the survivors in Swindon necessitate permanent vigilance. Any future attempt by either man to contact the victims or fail to comply with the terms of their registration will result in immediate police intervention and, in Jacques’ case, an instant return to the prison system.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.