MARK QUEST FROM BARROW SENTENCED AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULT AND TEXTS REIGNITING TEENAGER'S TRAUMA

In August 2011, a serious case of sexual assault involving a teenage girl and a man from Barrow came to light, culminating in a court hearing that highlighted the disturbing sequence of events and the subsequent legal consequences faced by the offender, Mark Quest.

According to court records, the victim, who was only 14 years old at the time, was lured to Quest’s garage under the false pretense that her friends were present there. Once she arrived, she was taken into a caravan on the premises, where the incident unfolded. Quest, who was in his late 30s at the time, undressed to his boxer shorts and attempted to remove the girl’s top and bra. Despite his efforts, he was unable to fully strip her, and the girl, distressed by the situation, managed to pull away and leave the caravan.

Following the incident, the girl went to a friend’s house, and the matter was reported to the police. Initially, the teenager falsely claimed that a stranger had attacked her, a detail emphasized by prosecutor Mr. Francis McEntee during the trial. The court heard that she had managed to put the traumatic event behind her, attempting to move on with her life.

However, the situation took a disturbing turn years later when Quest sent her a series of text messages. These messages, which appeared to be from someone much younger or pretending to be her friends, reopened the emotional wounds. Mr. McEntee explained that the messages rekindled her distress and brought back memories of the assault in the caravan, which she had tried to forget.

During the trial, Quest denied the allegations, asserting that he had made a sexual approach hoping for her consent, but she was too scared and he backed off. His defense lawyer, Mr. Simon Mintz, argued that Quest’s actions were isolated and that there was no ongoing pattern of sexual misconduct. Mintz suggested that Quest’s later attempt to contact the girl was an innocent mistake, driven by a misguided hope that she might be interested in him.

The court also noted that Quest had previously received a letter of commendation from a judge, which was mentioned during the proceedings. Ultimately, Judge Andrew Woolman sentenced Quest to six months in prison, suspended for two years, with a requirement of 12 months’ supervision and 150 hours of unpaid community service. Additionally, Quest was ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years, banned indefinitely from working with children, and subject to a two-year restraining order preventing him from contacting the victim.

Quest, whose address is listed as Vulcan Road, Barrow, was also given a stern warning about the seriousness of his actions and the impact they had on the young girl involved. The case underscores the importance of addressing and prosecuting sexual offenses, especially those involving minors, and highlights the long-lasting effects such incidents can have on victims.