Church youth leader who filmed 18-year-old in shower added to Sex Offenders' Register (From News Shopper)

Church youth leader Mark Pennell who filmed 18-year-old in shower added to Sex Offenders' Register

2:35pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in News By Jim Palmer

A CHURCH youth leader has been added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years for filming a teenager in the shower at church camp.

Mark Pennell, of Tooley Street in Gravesend was also made subject to a 36 month supervision order, ordered to pay £500 compensation, £85 costs and must attend 80 sessions with the Kent and Thames Valley Sex Offenders’ Programme.

At North Kent Magistrates’ Court in January, Pennell pleaded guilty to voyeurism.

The 37-year-old, who had been a church youth leader since 1997, admitted that using his mobile phone to film an 18-year-old in the shower at a camp in August.

Speaking in mitigation for Pennell, William Chipperfield said Pennell has no previous convictions and that the incident was a ‘moment of madness’.

Mr Chipperfield said: “By his own admission he did something that was out of character. He will pay the price for this both at the hands of the court and also socially. That is something he will have to deal with. He has had to change his church and a lot of his lifestyle.”