Four members of a family from Coventry have been jailed following a campaign of horrific child abuse which spanned 30 years.
Among the offences committed by the Potts family were rape, sexual assault and child cruelty, and they were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court today.
Serial rapist Antony Potts was previously found guilty of 13 counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and nine counts of inciting a child to perform a sexual act and cruelty – all against children.
The 49-year-old, of Milverton Road, Wood End, was jailed for life and told he must serve a minimum of 16 years. He will remain on licence for the rest of his life.
Judge Carr told him: You are a deeply depraved man who has taken many, many opportunities to abuse children and corrupt them.
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These are horrendous offences. In 50 years practice and presiding over cases like this, I cannot think of a worse one.
His father Keith Potts was sentenced to eight years after being found guilty of two counts of child cruelty, as was Keiths wife Julie who was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Antonys wife Elaine Potts, 50, of Milverton Road, and family friend Joanne Hoye, 42, were sentenced to four years after pleading guilty to neglect last year.
The first victim spoke to police in 1989, but it wasnt until January 2016, following the testimony of a fifth victim, that the case was reopened and three further cases were identified.
The leading investigator described the Potts offences as one of the worst cases of systematic and horrifying child sex abuse they had ever seen.
In a victim impact statement read to the court by prosecutor Simon Spence, one victim said the abuse of Antony Potts and others had a major impact on her life and she was groomed and brainwashed by her abusers.
She added she was let down as a child by the police, CPS and social services when she originally reported the abuse she had suffered.
She said none of them believed her at that time and as she was labelled as a liar she ran away from home.
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She says she has suffered from constant and daily panic attacks, has post-traumatic stress disorder and reduced self-worth.
She said she was relieved and happy that Antony Potts had been found guilty and she has finally believed.
She also said she was happy to know that no other children will suffer as I did and added: I dont think I will ever get over what happened to me as a child.
Another victim said they hope Antony goes straight to prison forever while another stated: I want Antony to go to prison all his life so he cant hurt anyone else.
Joshua Potts, 26, of Burnaby Road, Holbrooks, son of Keith and Julie, will be sentenced tomorrow after admitting multiple counts of rape and sexual assault.
Brother Nathan Potts, 26, from Holbrooks, will be sentenced on August 9 after he was found guilty of two counts of rape of a child, four counts of sexual assault, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sex with another adult.
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