My brother was my rock after my son’s suicide shattered the family… but he raped my daughter, 14, for a YEAR

WHEN her world was turned upside down by the tragic loss of her 19-year-old son to suicide, Jessica James turned to the brother she had always considered her best friend.

But the mother-of-five, 38, from Neath Port Talbot, was left heartbroken when she discovered her ‘trustworthy’ brother had raped and abused her young daughter, even while pretending to ‘comfort’ her.

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Craig Botterill, 32, appeared to be the family’s ‘knight in shining armor’ as he stepped in to help Jessica and husband Denzil Williams, 48, as they mourned son Cory following his death. suicide in 2019.

Instead of, Botterill hunted Jessica’s eldest daughter, Shanice, who was 14 at the time, in the midst of her grief.

Botterill’s vicious campaign of abuse lasted for more than a year – and he even threatened Shanice that he would kill himself, like her brother, if she told anyone.

The pedophile, who hid in plain sight, was recently sentenced to 10 years. Now the family is desperate to warn more people about him.

Jessica, a stay-at-home mom, says, “I loved my brother. He was incredible, Uncle Craig.

‘But he really was a monster and I’m relieved he’s in prison now. Although he will be free one day, I want to warn the world about him.

‘Everyone should know he’s a pervert rapistand what he did to my daughter.

“I would also caution moms to look out for these changes and red flags in your children.”

Happy family

Jessica and Denzel, a steelworker, have been together for 22 years.

In 2019, they were busy parents to Cory, then 19, Shanice, then 14, Gabriella, then 11, Brianie, then 8, and Teejay, then 7.

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Jessica says: ‘During my marriage, Craig was more Den’s best friend than his brother-in-law.

“They worked together as steelworkers.

“Craig was part of our family and came with us on every holiday and trip. He slept on the couch most weekends.

“Meanwhile, Cory was my oldest son and his siblings adored him. Especially Shanice.

“They were both attached at the hip.”

But in December of that year, the family’s world was torn apart when Cory committed suicide out of the blue.

He was bothered depression for years, but his parents and siblings never saw it coming.

Jessica says: “Den found him in his bedroom. All our hearts were shattered.

“Suddenly Shanice became the big brother or sister and had the hardest time with it.

‘Soon Den’s mental health deteriorated as what he had seen that day could no longer leave him. He developed PTSD and depression.

“He started having suicidal thoughts, and once even tried it himself. Our family fell apart.

“Because I couldn’t handle it, I leaned on my brother Craig.”

‘Dear Uncle’

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Jessica claims Botterill, a steelworker, came in as a “knight in shining armor” for the family.

While Jessica cared for her husband upstairs most evenings, Craig helped with the kids downstairs.

Jessica says: “He was the best distraction, he would cheer them up with days out or watching films.

“Especially with Shanice. He called her his number one niece and always cuddled her on the couch.

“She was his favorite. While Shanice absolutely idolized him. It’s been that way since she was a baby.”

But as time went on, Jessica noticed a huge change in Shanice.

Shanice blurted out, “Uncle Craig raped me.”

Jessica

In just two months she lost 4th place and dropped from size 14 to size 6.

Jessica says: “I was worried. I even took her to the doctor and he did blood tests to check it Crohn’s disease. It came back negative.

“She told me she just missed Cory and couldn’t eat much. She had also become very distant and withdrawn.

“She was clearly the most affected by Cory’s death. But as soon as Craig came over, Shanice begged me to let her go to her grandma’s.

“But Shanice didn’t normally go there. Her behavior became more confusing by the day.

“I told myself that everyone grieves in their own way.”

Gruesome revelation

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Time passed and while Jessica’s husband’s mental health improved, Shanice’s deteriorated.

In October 2021, almost two years after Cory’s death, Jessica went shopping with Botterill and Denzel.

Jessica says: “Craig had slept the night before.

“We went out for Halloween and Christmas treats. But all day in town, Craig was acting sly and not his talkative self.

“Suddenly my mother, who was taking care of the children, called and told me that something bad had happened. She said I had to go home.

‘Worried, I got Craig and Den back into the car. On the way, I saw Craig sweating profusely in the rearview mirror. It was very strange.

‘When we arrived, Mum saw Craig and shouted, ‘You better run or Den is going to kill you.’

“My heart sank, I had no idea what was going on. Den and I ran upstairs and found Shanice sobbing in her bedroom.

“Her younger sister Gabriella comforted her. Then Shanice blurted out, “Uncle Craig raped me.”

“I got dizzy and started vomiting. Den cried hysterically and rocked her like a baby.

‘Then he saw red and ran downstairs after Craig. A few minutes later he returned home, as Craig had wanted.

“We were in a state of shock. I couldn’t stop being sick, I trusted my brother.”

Bitter lies

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Shaking violently, Jessica immediately called the police.

Her daughter, Gabriella, then revealed how she caught Botterill raping Shanice on the family sofa the night before.

Shanice revealed that her uncle had been abusing her since Cory died.

Jessica says: “Suddenly it all clicked. How strange and distant she was, weight loss.

“I would blame it on Cory’s death, when in reality Craig started abusing her at the height of our grief.

“The pain was too much to bear. Hours later, police officers arrested Craig at his home.

‘Craig told them I made it up because I was jealous of his and Shanice’s relationship.

“He made me sick. I didn’t know where the brother I knew and loved had gone.”

Twisted threats

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The family soon discovered that Botterill had been abusing Shanice for over a year, all over the house while the family was upstairs, sleeping, or outside.

He had also threatened Shanice through messages that he would commit suicide “just like Cory did” and that if she told anyone it would be her fault.

Jessica says, “Hearing how Craig preyed on Shanice during our most vulnerable and darkest time broke me.

“It was just as hard as when I lost Cory. I begged Shanice to tell us why she didn’t tell me or her father.

‘She said that because Dad was so sick, she didn’t want to hurt him anymore. She felt trapped as we all grieved.

“In the meantime, Craig was released on bail and for the next two years he walked around as a free man.

“He convinced half of our family and friends that he was innocent and the charges were dropped, hence he went back to living his life while my daughter’s life stopped.

‘She became a recluse, terrified of leaving the house.

“My husband became depressed again and my other children were all traumatized too.”

Justice has been done

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Finally, in May 2024, the family was cross-examined Swansea Crown Court.

Craig Botterill, 32, of Baglan, was found guilty of one charge of sexual assault, one charge of sexual assault by penetration and one charge of rape of a child against Shanice.

He was sentenced to ten years.

Jessica said: “Craig giggled in the stands and showed not an ounce of remorse. But the jury saw him for the deranged pedophile that he was.

“The truth finally came out and everyone in town knew my daughter and family weren’t lying.

“Yes, he went to jail, but I would have been happy if he had dropped dead.

“Now as a family we still love good old Uncle Craig. But as for Craig, we hate him.

“I know Shanice, who is now 19, will live with this for the rest of her life. While I lost my brother.

“But she will overcome this trauma and we have each other as family.

“Shanice says I’ve been her rock this whole time, but she can’t look in the mirror without seeing what her uncle did to her.

“She wants me to speak out to tell other survivors not to be afraid to come out to their families. She wishes she had done it sooner.”

If you are experiencing any of the issues discussed in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.