MARK MOLDEN BARGOED SALVATION ARMY YOUTH LEADER JAILED FOR SEX ABUSE IN CARDIFF

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Bargoed and the wider Caerphilly area, Mark Molden, a youth leader associated with the Salvation Army, has been sentenced to four years in prison for a series of sexual assaults committed against four teenage girls during church-organized camping trips.

The incidents took place over a span of several years, specifically between 1997 and 2001, during outdoor activities held in Symond's Yat, Gloucestershire. Molden, aged 24 at the time of sentencing, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault but maintained his innocence on nine other charges. After a comprehensive 10-day trial at Cardiff Crown Court, a jury acquitted him of two charges but found him guilty of seven counts of indecent assault.

The court proceedings revealed disturbing details of the abuse. One of the victims, a 17-year-old girl, recounted an incident where Molden had inappropriately touched her breast as she was emerging from a cave during one of the woodland worship walks. She further testified that she observed other girls with similar handprint marks on their bodies, indicating multiple instances of assault. The court heard that Molden's misconduct was not isolated but occurred repeatedly during these outdoor camps.

Another victim described how Molden had coerced her into performing a sexual act on him, further illustrating the pattern of predatory behavior. The judge, David Wynn Morgan, did not hold back in his condemnation, describing Molden as an