A seven-year-old boy was traumatized after discovering his father, Andrew Butler, in bed with his own daughter, Nicola Yates. The case came to light at Birmingham Crown Court, revealing a disturbing family history marked by abuse and secrecy.
Butler, 47 at the time of the first offense, had separated from his ex-wife Katrina in 1990 due to alleged violence toward her and their children, including Nicola. After years without contact, Nicola, who was only seven when her father left, reconnected with him via the internet in her twenties.
The young boy, Butler’s stepson, found Butler and Nicola together in 2007 and promptly informed his mother. Authorities were notified, leading to the revelation of a hidden and abusive relationship. Nicola had moved in with Butler within a year of their reunion without her family’s knowledge.
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In July 2012, both Butler and Yates admitted to having intercourse with a close relative from 2008 to 2010. Butler received a 10-month prison sentence, while Yates, aged 26, was given a 26-week suspended sentence. This was not Butler’s first conviction; he had previously been given a four-month suspended sentence for incest in 2007.
Judge James Burbidge acknowledged that while there was genuine affection, the relationship was “illicit” and “abhorrent to society at large.” Prosecutor Madhu Rai highlighted that Yates concealed their relationship from her family even after their initial conviction.
Yates had disguised their relationship by inventing a boyfriend named Andrew Bicknell, a false name used to hide the truth. During the investigation, police uncovered explicit letters, images, and texts exchanged between Butler and Yates on electronic devices.
The situation escalated when Yates’ stepsister Natalie discovered explicit photos on Yates’ phone during a visit in 2010. She documented the images and informed her parents, who identified Butler as the person known as Andrew Bicknell. Subsequently, Butler and Yates were arrested in September 2010 at their Bordesley Green residence.
The judge described Butler as a “manipulative individual,” while noting that Yates was “very vulnerable” and had a history of inappropriate relationships. Butler’s lawyer denied any coercion or abuse of authority in the relationship, emphasizing it was consensual.
Defending Yates, lawyer Liz D’Oliviera explained that Nicola’s longing for a relationship with her father stemmed from the guilt and pain of being estranged from him throughout her childhood.