North Staffordshire sex beast finally jailed more than 30 years after Jehovah's Witness elders 'covered up' his crimes
Sex beast Mark Longshaw has finally been jailed for inappropriately touching two children - more than three decades after his crimes were 'brushed under the carpet' by Jehovah’s Witness elders.The incidents - dating back to the 1970s and 1980s - were reported to a branch of the Jehovah's Witness at the time of the offences.
But no action was taken by the authorities - until now.
Now the 63-year-old, of Diamond Avenue, Kidsgrove, has been jailed for four years and eight months after he admitted four indecent assault charges.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard he inappropriately touched two children and made them touch him. Elders became aware of the incidents and helped the defendant to ‘cover it up’.
In a statement, one of the victims, said: "I know what was done was swept away. Over the years I’ve tried to block out the abuse.
“I am emotionally damaged and mentally scarred. It has had irreparable damage on my life.”
The second victim added: “It has been hard to get through my life. I remember it as clear as yesterday.”
Barry White, mitigating, told the court that his client had not committed any offences since he stopped molesting the children.
He said: “He struggles to understand why he did what he did.
“He has had no offences since this came to a conclusion and was disclosed to the church elders at the time. He accepts they helped to brush it under the carpet.”
Judge Paul Glenn told the court that he had no option but to jail Longshaw.
He told him: “Your past has finally caught up with you.”
