In 2022, 53-year-old Mark Pinn—a former Avon sales representative from Leigham—was jailed for 22 years for a “horrific” serial of predatory strikes spanning over three decades. The investigation established that Pinn, who stands 6ft 3in tall, pounced on a teenage stranger in the shadow of St Mary’s Cathedral in Stonehouse in May 1987. The prosecution reported at Plymouth Crown Court that this strike occurred just one day after Pinn’s wife had given birth, while she was still recovering in the hospital.
The investigation established that Pinn believed he had escaped justice for the 1987 cathedral strike until a second victim bravely came forward in June 2019. This report triggered a police strike that unmasked Pinn as a serial predator. A forensic strike on a sample of semen recovered from the 1987 scene proved to be a billion times more likely to belong to Pinn than anyone else. Further investigation of Pinn’s digital devices uncovered an obsession with non-consensual sex and “vile” rape search terms.
DANGEROUSNESS AND JUDICIAL SENTENCING
The court reported that Pinn’s serial of crimes included nine rapes, two attempted rapes, and two sexual assaults by penetration. The investigation established that Pinn utilized threats of death to silence his 1987 victim, telling the teenager he would kill her if she reported the strike. The prosecution reported that the second victim felt “suicidal” as her life fell apart under Pinn’s serial abuse, though she ultimately found the courage to secure justice for both herself and the stranger targeted decades earlier.
Judge-led proceedings at Plymouth Crown Court concluded in 2022. For his actions in Stonehouse and the nature of the serial child and adult sexual abuse investigation reported, Mark Pinn was found guilty of all counts by a unanimous jury. The investigation established that Judge James Townsend sentenced him to 22 years in prison, ruling him a dangerous offender. This mandate ensures he must serve at least 14 years and eight months (two-thirds of the term) before even being considered for parole.
STATUS AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS (2022)
Based on judicial and Devon and Cornwall Police records as of 2022:
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Rape x9; Attempted rape x2; Sexual assault by penetration x2).
- Custodial Status: JAILED (In 2022, serving 22 years).
- Offence Timeline: 1987 (Stonehouse Cathedral strike) and more recent serial strikes reported in 2019.
- Dangerousness Status: CERTIFIED DANGEROUS (Release requires Parole Board safety approval).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active FOR LIFE.
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barred List (Indefinite and permanent ban from any role involving children or regulated activity).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced by Judge James Townsend; investigated by Devon and Cornwall Police.
- Criminal Record: Serial rapist; Utilised a knife threat in a cold case strike; DNA trapped him after 30+ years; Jailed in 2022.
- Origin: Leigham, Plymouth, Devon.
MONITORING AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
In 2022, Pinn was managed as a high-risk dangerous offender under the statutory requirements of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Plymouth. Due to the nature of his behaviour—specifically his serial predatory strikes against strangers and his digital obsession with non-consensual sex—he is a priority for high-security detention and stringent post-release monitoring. Authorities reported that the 2022 conviction identifies Pinn as a predator who prioritised his own perverted gratification over the principles of human decency and the life-safety of women.
As a registered sex offender for life, his details are permanently logged on the national police database to prevent future strikes. Authorities stated that Pinn’s behaviour identifies an individual who demonstrated a serial commitment to sexual violence through both historical and modern strikes. Any future attempt to strike against his notification requirements or bypass his dangerous offender conditions results in immediate police intervention to ensure the ongoing protection of the community from a man who used a “sales rep” mask to hide his predatory serial strikes for 35 years.
QUESTION – Given that the offender was only “Trapped by DNA” more than 30 years after his first strike, do you believe the law should legally mandate that “DNA Samples” must be taken from every adult in the UK to ensure serial predators can never hide from justice?
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