MARK PASSMORE FROM PENSDENT SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON YOUNG GIRLS IN WOLVERHAMPTON

In a case that has shocked the local community of Pensnett and the surrounding Wolverhampton area, Mark Passmore, a resident of High Street in Pensnett, has been sentenced to three years in prison for a series of disturbing sexual assaults committed against young girls over a span of ten years.

These heinous acts, which took place over an extended period, involved indecent assaults on three young victims, all of whom were schoolgirls at the time. The crimes came to light after a lengthy investigation, culminating in Passmore's trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court. Despite his initial denial of eight charges of indecent assault, the jury found him guilty after carefully considering the evidence presented during the proceedings.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Martin Walsh described Passmore’s conduct as “systematic, grotesque, and lewd,” emphasizing the disturbing nature of his actions towards vulnerable young girls. The judge acknowledged that while the assaults were not of the utmost severity, their prolonged duration and the fact that they targeted three different victims made the crimes particularly egregious.

As part of his sentence, Passmore was also subjected to an indefinite Sexual Offenders Protection Order, which restricts his activities and movements to prevent further harm. Additionally, he is required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life, a measure aimed at safeguarding the community from any potential future offenses.

Representing Passmore, solicitor Jonathan Rose, highlighted that his client, a toolmaker with a previously unblemished character, had now lost everything due to these allegations. Rose pointed out that Passmore had been barred from working with children and maintained that the touching of the girls was innocent and lacked any sexual intent. He expressed hope that his client would be able to rebuild his life after serving his sentence.

Prosecutor Malcolm Morse, however, painted a different picture, noting that Passmore exhibited a “propensity to behave in a certain way towards young girls.” He revealed that Passmore was arrested at a time when all three victims had become adults, suggesting a troubling pattern of behavior. The court also heard that Passmore admitted to a separate charge of assaulting one of his victims, for which he received a three-month sentence to run consecutively with the 33-month term for the sexual offenses.

Overall, the case underscores the serious nature of the crimes committed by Passmore and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to protect vulnerable members of the community from predatory behavior.