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 mum-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 he was pretending to ‘comfort’ her.
SuppliedJessica thought her brother Craig Botterill was a rock after losing her son to suicide[/caption]
SuppliedIn secret, Botterill had launched a campaign of abuse against her daughter Shanice[/caption]
Craig Botterill, 32, seemed to be the family’s “knight in shining armour” as he stepped in to help Jessica and husband Denzil Williams, 48, as they mourned son Cory after his suicide in 2019.
Instead, Botterill preyed on Jessica’s eldest daughter, Shanice, who was 14 at time, in the midst of her grief.
Botterill’s evil campaign of abuse went on for over a year – and he even threatened Shanice that he’d kill himself just like her brother if she told anyone.
The paedophile, who hid in plain sight, has recently been sentenced to 10 years. Now the family is desperate to warn more people about him.
Jessica, a stay-at-home mum, says: “I thought my brother was amazing. He was incredible Uncle Craig.
“But he was really a monster and I’m relieved he’s in prison now. Although one day he will be out so I want to warn the world about him.
“Everyone needs to know he’s a dirty rapist, and what he did to my daughter.
“I also want to warn mums to watch 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.
SuppliedBotterill had been close to his sister Jessica and her husband Den[/caption]
Jessica says: “Throughout my marriage, Craig was more Den’s best friend than his brother-in-law.
“They worked together as steelworkers.
“Craig was a part of our family, going on every holiday and trip with us. Most weekends he slept on the sofa.
“Meanwhile, Cory was my eldest son and his siblings adored him. Especially Shanice.
“The two of them were attached to the hip.”
But in December that year, the family’s world was torn apart when Cory committed suicide out of the blue.
He’d suffered from depression for years but his parents and siblings never saw it coming.
Jessica says: “Den found him in his bedroom. All of our hearts were shattered.
“Suddenly thrown into being the big sibling, Shanice took it the hardest.
“Soon Den’s mental health deteriorated as what he’d seen that day wouldn’t leave him. He developed PTSD and depression.
“He began having suicidal thoughts, even trying once himself. Our family was falling apart.
“Unable to cope, I leaned on my brother Craig.”
‘Best uncle’
SuppliedIt appeared that Shanice and her uncle were close friends[/caption]
Jessica claims Botterill, a steelworker, swooped in, like a “knight in shining armour” for the family.
As Jessica was looking after her husband most evenings upstairs, Craig would help with the kids downstairs.
Jessica says: “He was the best distraction, cheering them up with days out or watching films.
“Especially with Shanice. He called her his number one niece and would always cuddle her on the sofa.
“She was his favourite. Whilst Shanice absolutely idolised him. It had 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 4st and dropped from a size 14 to size 6.
Jessica says: “I was worried sick. I even took her to the GP, and they took blood tests to check for Crohn’s disease. It came back negative.
“She told me she was just missing Cory and couldn’t eat much. She’d become very distant and withdrawn too.
“She was clearly taking Cory’s death the hardest. But soon when Craig would come over Shanice would beg me to let her go to her nan’s.
“But Shanice didn’t normally go there. Her behaviour was becoming more confusing by the day.
“I told myself everyone grieves in their own way.”
Horrific revelation
SuppliedShanice told her mum that her weight loss was down to grief at losing her brother[/caption]
Time went on, and although Jessica’s husband’s mental health got better, Shanice’s got worse.
In October 2021, nearly two years after Cory’s passing, Jessica went on a shopping trip with Botterill and Denzel.
Jessica says: “Craig had slept over the night before.
“We went out for Halloween and Christmas bits. But all day in town Craig was acting shifty and wasn’t being his chatty self.
“Suddenly my mum, who was looking after the kids, rang and told me something bad had happened. She said I needed to get home.
“Worried, I got Craig and Den back into the car. On the way, I noticed Craig in the rear-view mirror sweating profusely. It was very odd.
“When we arrived, Mum saw Craig and shouted ‘You better run or Den’s going to kill you.’
“My heart sank, I had no idea what was going on. Den and I ran upstairs and found Shanice in her bedroom, sobbing.
“Her younger sister Gabriella was consoling her. Then Shanice blurted out ‘Uncle Craig raped me.’
“I went dizzy and began vomiting. Den was hysterically crying, cradling her like a baby.
“Then, he saw red and raced downstairs, chasing Craig down the road. Minutes later, he returned home, as Craig had legged it.
“We were in a state of shock. I couldn’t stop being sick, I trusted my brother.”
Bitter lies
SuppliedBotterill was caught out while raping his niece on the sofa[/caption]
Violently shaking, Jessica phoned the police immediately.
Her daughter, Gabriella, then revealed how she’d caught Botterill raping Shanice the night before on the family sofa.
Shanice revealed her uncle had been abusing her since Cory died.
Jessica says: “Suddenly, it all clicked. How weird and distant she was, the weight loss.
“I’d put it down to Cory’s passing when in fact, Craig had begun abusing her at the height of our grieving.
“The pain was too much to bear. Hours later, police officers arrested Craig at his house.
“Craig told them I was making it up because I was jealous of his and Shanice’s relationship.
“He made me sick. I didn’t know where the brother I’d known and loved had gone.”
Twisted threats
SuppliedShanice had been manipulated into keep silent about her uncle’s abuse[/caption]
Soon the family discovered Botterill had been abusing Shanice for over a year, all over the house whilst the family were upstairs, sleeping or out.
He’d also been threatening Shanice via messages that he’d kill himself “Just like Cory did” and that if she told anyone, it’d be her fault.
Jessica says: “Hearing how Craig preyed on Shanice at our most vulnerable, 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 dad.
“She said because Dad was so unwell, she didn’t want to hurt him more. She felt trapped as we were all grieving.
“Meanwhile, Craig was released on bail and over the next two years he walked around as a free man.
“He convinced half of our family and friends he was innocent and the charges were dropped, hence why he was living his life again while my baby girl’s life stopped.
“She became a recluse, terrified to leave the house.
“My husband became depressed again and my other kids were all traumatised too.”
Justice is done
SuppliedCraig has been sentenced to ten-years in prison for the abuse[/caption]
Finally in May 2024, the family was cross examined at Swansea Crown Court.
Craig Botterill, 32, of Baglan, was found guilty of one count of sexual assault, one count of sexual assault by penetration and one count of rape of a child against Shanice.
He was sentenced to ten years.
Jessica says: “Craig giggled on the stand, showing not an ounce of remorse. But the jury saw him for the twisted paedophile that he was.
“The truth was finally out and everyone in town knew my daughter and family weren’t lying.
“Yes, he went to prison but I would’ve been happy if he’d dropped dead.
“Now, as a family, we still love the old, good Uncle Craig. But as for this Craig, we hate him.
“I know Shanice, who’s now 19, will live with this for the rest of her life. Whilst I have lost my brother.
“But she will get through this trauma and we have each other as a family.
“Shanice says I have been her rock throughout this 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 to not be afraid to come forward to their families. She wishes she had done it sooner.”
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
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