A man has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for 28 sexual offences over the course of more than 40 years in Havant, Denmead, Southsea, Hambledon and Chichester in West Sussex.

David Anthony Cotton, 60, of Middle Park Way, Leigh Park, was convicted on Monday 11 November 2024 of 28 sexual offences, involving ten different victims, spanning the late 1970s to 2021.

Following a three-year investigation, Cotton was charged with:

Cotton, who was also known as ‘Big Dave’ to many who interacted with him, pleaded not guilty to all offences, but a jury at Portsmouth Crown Court found him guilty on all counts following a five-week trial.

He was remanded into custody by the judge, who stated that Cotton is a prolific offender and a danger to society.

He appeared again yesterday (Wednesday 22 January) at the same court, where he was jailed for 18 years and given a further five year extension to his license period due to the Judge deeming him to be a dangerous offender. He has also been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detective Constable Hollie Shelton from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s specialist Operation Amberstone team said, “I am very pleased with this result and that the totality of the sentence was met by an applause from a very full court room today full of victims, witnesses and other members of the public.

“The sentence is significant given the challenging nature of investigating non-recent offences where evidence can be more difficult to obtain, but I am very happy that Cotton will finally face justice for his despicable crimes.

“The sentencing is a result of outstanding bravery by the victims in coming forward and while this sentence in no way will negate what has happened to them, I hope that they can now begin to move forward, knowing that justice has been served and safe in the knowledge that he can no longer harm any other children.

“I also hope this sentence will reassure other victims that they will be listened to when reporting similar incidents to us.

“We encourage other victims to come forward and speak to us. We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously and work hard to bring offenders to justice.”

Anyone who has any concerns about child abuse should contact us on 101, or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

We recognise that not everyone has the confidence to speak to police, but there is support services available that can help you if you are a victim of abuse.

Anyone who has experienced abuse in childhood, or is concerned about a child, can contact the NSPCC helpline, confidentially, on 0808 800 5000. Alternatively, you can email help@nspcc.org.uk. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111.

As a survivor of sexual abuse, you are entitled to support, whether you report the crime or not. You can access different types of support depending on how you are feeling and what you decide to do next.

Please follow the below link for more information;

Support for rape and sexual assault | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary