Child-sex offenses draw man long term in state prison
MEDIA COURTHOUSE >> A 35-year-old Chester man was sentenced to slightly more than 9 to 18 years in a state prison last week for sexually assaulting a young girl in late 2014.
Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Judge Anthony Scanlon also ordered Harry Cottman Jr. to stay away from the victim, comply with sex-offender rules for parole and probation and follow any treatment recommendations in evaluations.
A jury deliberated for about two hours after a trial in January before convicting Cottman on charges of aggravated indecent assault of a child, indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old and endangering the welfare of a minor.
The victim, now 8 years old, testified via closed-circuit television that her mother was showering one morning in late 2014 when the assault occurred.
“I came downstairs and he got on top of me … on the couch,” the girl said. “He put his hands in my pants.”
The victim told Assistant District Attorney Ryan Grace that Cottman assaulted her. The jury also heard three taped interviews conducted with the girl by Delaware County Children and Youth Services and the Child Advocacy Center, in which the victim said Cottman had kissed her mouth, chest, arms, legs, toes, and buttocks.
Dr. June Elcock-Messam, of Media Pediatrics, said she conducted an examination of the child Dec. 18, 2014, and discovered a small laceration on her vaginal area. Elcock-Messam said the girl was initially hesitant and described the assault mostly through a series of hand gestures, indicating Cottman used his hands to touch her vagina and buttocks. The victim told Elcock-Messam that he had hurt her in doing so.
Cottman denied ever touching the girl inappropriately during trial and said he barely touched her at all because he was fearful that some accusation could be made just from general contact.
Cottman claimed the girl was jealous of his closer relationship with his own biological children and that the victim’s father had previously vowed to gain full custody as part of “a bigger jealousy.”
Harry Cottman Sr. reiterated at sentencing April 10 that there was a larger plot involving a man that his son had beaten up. He noted Cottman had a decent management job and that he had brought him into his church.
Cottman also said he had a position of trust at his job and several people working under him, adding that he has two daughters at home who miss him.
Defense attorney Steve Leach asked the judge to merge the two assault charges for the purpose of sentencing and sought a lengthy probationary detail.
Grace argued the two charges referred to two separate incidents – the touching and the kissing – and sought a sentence of 11 to 22 years with 10 years of probation. He said child sexual assault is “one of the worst things that a human being can do.”
Scanlon agreed with Grace on both points before rendering his sentence, noting there is “nothing more heinous” than the sexual abuse of a child.
The Sexual Offenders Assessment Board found Cottman does not meet the criteria for a sexually violent predator, but he will have to register as a sexual offender for life.