‘Incest family’ to face extraordinary joint trial

Accused incest family the Colts, found by police living in squalor in a bush camp six years ago, will face a historic joint trial of brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles.

In what is likely to be one of the most extraordinary hearings in Australian legal history, alleged incest family the Colts appear headed for a joint trial.

Two brothers and a sister, their cousin and their parents or aunts and uncles were arrested a year ago, five years after police found 40 adult and child relatives living in a squalid bush camp in the hills behind the tiny town of Boorowa, NSW.

All but one of eight accused members indicated on Thursday they would waive a committal hearing to speed up legal negotiations ahead of a trial perhaps later this year.

Betty Colt (right) and her daughter Raylene, who are charged with perjury, are likely to go on trial together with six other family members.

The eight accused Colts were arrested a year ago in a tri-state police operation and charged with incest, child sex abuse, aggravated assault or perjury.

Accused are family matriarch Betty Colt, 51, her sisters Rhonda and Martha, brother Charlie, Rhonda’s son Cliff and Betty’s sons Derek and Roderick and daughter, Raylene.

Betty, Raylene and Derek Colt were arrested in South Australia, while Rhonda, Cliff and Roderick Colt were extradited from WA.

Brother and sister, Martha and Charlie Colt, who are alleged to have shared a “marital bed” on the family farm, were taken into custody in the NSW town of Griffith.

Up to 40 interrelated children and adults were found living on the squalid bush block (above) behind Boorowa.

Martha Colt, above with son Albert 20 years ago, allegedly slept with brother Charlie.

Charlie Colt said his family was a happy one.

Police say the Colt children thought it normal their aunt and uncle shared a family bed at the filthy camp.

The name Colt and the accused’s first names are court-appointed pseudonyms to protect the identity of the children.

After police raided the remote Colt campsite, which had no running water, electricity or sanitary facilities, 14 children were taken into care.

The children, who reportedly descend from great-grandparents who were a brother and sister, couldn’t walk or talk properly, had misshapen features and did not know what toilet paper or a toothbrush were.

The police case centres on DNA tests that are said to prove that at least 11 of the children had been fathered by a relative of their mother, and the interrelated children themselves were allegedly involved in sexual activity.

Betty (centre) and her daughter Raylene Colt (right) in a picture she posted on Facebook before her arrest last year.

Charlie Colt is arrested outside Griffith, NSW last year.

Charlie Colt will likely waive his right to a committal to speed up proceedings while he is in prison and denied bail.

Since the 2018 arrest of eight adult Colts, Rhonda and her sister Betty’s children Raylene and Roderick have been granted bail, and Derek will apply for bail next month.

All eight accused will appear in person or by audio visual link from prison at a hearing on May 23.

Only Roderick Colt will seek a committal hearing, his lawyer told Central Local Court on Thursday.

Magistrate Robert Williams formally refused bail for Charlie, Derek, Roderick, Martha and Betty Colt.

The NSW Director of Public Prosecutions is seeking a joint trial for all eight Colts.

Originally published as ‘Incest family’ to face extraordinary joint trial