Pensioner found guilty of historic sex offences

Michael Derek Cotterill, 82, had denied three counts of inciting a female child to commit an act of gross indecency with himself, two of inciting a female child to commit acts of gross indecency with other children unknown, two of indecent assault, and one of common assault. He had denied them all.

After just over an hour of deliberation, the court found him guilty of all offences with unanimous decisions. Cotterill showed no reaction as the verdicts were read out.

The offences were committed between April 1987 and October 1990.

The court heard distressing evidence during the trial which had lasted all week and both complainants gave evidence.

Offences included making children strip naked and simulate sex. When one of the girls swore at him because of his treatment of her, he lifted her up by the hair and washed her mouth out with a bar of soap.

Summing up the case to the jurats, Judge Catherine Fooks said they should draw no inference from the fact that the defendant had chosen not to give evidence, as was his right.

But it did mean that there was nothing to contradict, undermine, or explain the prosecution case. He was disadvantaged by the time that had elapsed since the offences were allegedly committed, but members should not speculate on what people who were no longer able to testify might have said.

Six of the offences were committed against the first complainant and two against the second. The first woman had made her complaint to police in 2022. The second had made a complaint of her own in 1991 but the matter had not proceeded at that time, as the defendant was already serving a five-month prison sentence imposed by the Magistrate’s Court in October 1991 for indecently assaulting another female child.

Sentencing was adjourned to 25 February pending the preparation of a probation report.

Cotterill's conditional bail was extended until then, and he was made subject to notification requirements with immediate effect.