Grand Old Police Blotter: No Sanctuary Edition

This is probably more of a Bobo's World than a true G.O.P. Blotter, since I can't find the guy's political affiliation (or anything else), but if this guy's not a Republican, I'll eat a piece of key lime pie made with fresh limes:

LIVINGSTON - A Church of God minister sexually assaulted three young girls here in 1998, according to a multimillion dollar lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The suit accuses Pastor Terence Passmore, now living in Virginia, of fondling the girls' breasts and genitals in the church's parsonage, the sanctuary and during church outings to swimming pools at Big Timber and Chico Hot Springs. Two of the girls were 14 years old and one was 12 years old at the time.

Passmore, reached Tuesday evening in Manassas, Va., referred all questions to his attorney, Mike Milodragovitch of Missoula.

...

The Church of God's Web site describes it as both Pentecostal and evangelical. It calls on people to dress modestly and avoid "pride, elaborateness or sensuality."

The suit says that Passmore, a native of South Africa, forced one of the girls to the floor of the church sanctuary and penetrated her with his fingers. When she escaped, he chased her to another room and repeated the actions.

...

Three church officials later conducted a hearing in a motel room in Livingston, forcing one of the girls to testify while sitting on a bed within a few feet of Passmore.

The church's "trial board" then found that the allegations against Passmore were "inconclusive" but recommended counseling for him, to be provided at church expense.

...

But the finding did say "the Devil is the accuser of the brethren and seeks to devour the righteous," which the parents of two girls took to be "a poorly veiled judgment of them and their children."

Passmore was later appointed to another church out of state.

I'd love to have the millstone concession for that congregation.