Nick Cotton

Nicholas Charles 'Nick' Cotton, also known as Nasty Nick, is the son of Dot Branning and Charlie Cotton. He has two sons Charlie Cotton and Ashley Cotton and a young daughter Dotty Cotton. He is evil and tries to scam people out of money, especially Dot. He planned to kill her to claim her life insurance along with Dotty's help. Nick even clashed a few times with fellow baddie Phil Mitchell. Recently the character returned after faking his own death. After complications after using heroin, he died in Dot's arms in the exact same spot he murdered Reg Cox 30-years prior in February 2015.

Backstory
1959-1984

Nicholas Charles Cotton was born in October 1959 to Charlie Cotton and Dot Cotton (Nee Colwell). Charlie often had affairs, and even fathered a son Andrew, giving Nick a half brother. Nick often got into trouble as a child and the highly religious Dot was always making excuses for him.

Kill Count
Reg Cox-February 1985: Beats him to death for money

Eddie Royle-September 1991: Stabs him to death

Ashley Cotton-June 2001: Although not intended to be him it was to kill Mark Fowler Ashley rides the motobike that Nick cut the breaks and he soon after crashes it and dies

Emma Summerhayes-2nd January 2015: Nick sabotaged Ronnie Mitchell's car on the 1st January which caused the breaks to fail, and as the car crashed with Ronnie, Roxy and Charlie inside, the sabotaged car hit Emma as she stepped out into the road, she died the next day (2nd January) in hospital from a brain haemorrhage.

5. - Nick Cotton. Assisted suicide with Dot Cotton & impure heroin.

Total: 5

Storylines
These are some of the storylines Nick has been in.

Reg Cox Murder
In 1985 Nick murdered Reg Cox as he wanted his war medals. Nick on his way to Dover when he was arrested and put into Dickens Hill Prison where Den Watts was at the same time.

​Dot Terror
In 1990, he returned to the square and made Dot laugh. Dot then one day he phoned the police which left terror.

Eddie Royle Murder
In 1991, he tried to kill Dot and after he and Dot had an argument, she locked him in his room to help him. But he climed out the window, slid down the water pipe and ran away. At the time, Eddie Royle was walking his dog through the gardens and Nick ran into him and stabbed him. He was found by Clyde Tavernier who picked up the knife and moved it. Nick blamed it on Clyde but later Mark Fowler's Friend Joe Wallace revealed that when he was leaving Mark's House he saw Eddie wave at him from the Gardens and then Nick going down the drainpost and running into the gardens and then using the knife. Nick was arrested again.

The Return of Nick Cotton
It was a spin-off about Nick in 2000

Ashley's Death
He hadn't had a scheme for ages and, in 2001, he had an feud with Mark Fowler so he decided to kill him. Nick cut the brakes on Mark's motorbike. Later, in The Queen Victoria, Nick's Son Ashley Cotton is with Dot Cotton and Pauline Fowler when Mark comes in and starts shouting at Ashley leading Ashley to steal Mark's motorbike (oblivious to the fact that the brakes had been cut). Dot, Pauline and Nick told him to stop but because he couldn't brake he ended up crashing into the curb and flying through a glass window of the Laundrette. Dr Anthony Trueman runs over to Ashley and says he's dead. Dot kicks Nick out the house and he goes off in a taxi.

Dot Scam
Nick was claimed to be nice: he was now a plumber and wanted to wish her a Happy Christmas. Dot said he could stay for a beer and Christmas pudding while she went out and when she came back she met his daughter Dotty Cotton. However it later turned out he hadn't changed and he wanted to murder Dot and was just waiting for the right time.

Cafe Explosion
On 2nd June 2009, he decided to put his plan into action. He crushed pills and told Dotty to put them into Dot's drink to kill her. However, he later found out his daughter betrayed him and put the tablets into his beer. Furious, he plans to flee Walford with Dotty. However, he collapses and Dotty tells a shocked Dot everything. When Nick comes round, he grabs Dotty and pulls her into a car and speeds off planning to escape. Nick crashes the car and makes his way into The Cafe and holds Bradley, Sid, Whitney,Ryan, Lauren, Lucy, Abi and Heather hostage. But, unaware to him, a fire has started in the kitchen and the place is set alight. When everyone escapes (including Dotty) Nick stays behind. Bradley returns to save him, but Nick tells him he doesn't want to be saved to avoid being arrested. Nick locks himself into the bathroom and the cafe explodes into flames. He somehow survived and returned to Dot's house to pack his stuff and leave.

The Fake Death
On 10 March 2014, Dot was told by the police that Nick had been living in a squat and died of respiratory failure from a heroin overdose the previous week. But the truth is, is Nick dead or is this just a evil plan of his, could Charlie really be his son or is he just a nasty friend of Nick's, who has part of the plans. It was announced in 28th July 2014 when Carol answers Charlie's phone and it was Nick.

Death
Nick died 13th February 2015, his cause of death is unknown but its most likely due to the Heroin he took. He died in the same place as he killed Reg Cox, 23 Albert Square, exactly 30 years before. Before he died, he admitted that he had killed Reg Cox.

Quotes

 * "Hey, you!" [Holds up packet of cigarettes] "See these mate? 5p cheaper than yours down the market." (First line)
 * "I'm sorry ma. Everything I've ever put you through. Forgive me." (Final line)