David Baker

David Baker, a 43-year-old man previously known for running The Moody Baker bakery in Barnard Castle, County Durham, has been sentenced to over five years in prison for committing child sex offences against a vulnerable teenager. This marks his second conviction for such crimes within a decade, highlighting a pattern of predatory behaviour targeting young girls.

The offences began in June 2016 when Baker contacted the 15-year-old victim via social media. Aware of her personal vulnerabilities and issues, he initially feigned concern to build trust. However, he quickly steered conversations towards sexual topics, making them increasingly graphic. Within months, Baker engaged in sexual acts over video chat, during which the victim covered her phone camera out of distress, and he solicited nude images from her. Prosecutors at Newcastle Crown Court revealed that the girl complied out of fear that Baker would expose her personal problems if she refused.

The grooming escalated when Baker arranged to meet the victim in a Newcastle hotel room, where he pressured her into performing a sex act on him and groped her. The abuse came to light shortly after when the teenager confided in a friend, leading to Baker's arrest. During police interviews, he attempted to delete messages from his phone but later admitted to the acts, claiming intoxication and ecstasy use at the time.

Baker, who has no fixed abode at the time of sentencing, pleaded guilty to one count of meeting a child following grooming and one count of engaging in sexual activity with a child. Judge Stephen Earl, sentencing via video link from HMP Durham on 25 April 2018, described Baker's actions as 'absolutely appalling and wilful sexual offending'. The judge noted that Baker had exploited the girl's vulnerability for his own gratification and deemed him a significant risk to children, imposing an extended four-year licence period. Baker must serve at least two-thirds of his custodial term before potential release.

This conviction follows a similar offence in 2007 in Birmingham, where Baker was convicted of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual activity with a 15-year-old met online. That resulted in a suspended six-month sentence and registration on the sex offenders' register. Despite denying attraction to children in interviews, Judge Earl highlighted the inconsistency with his history. Baker was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.

The victim's impact statement, read in court, detailed the profound effects: declining school performance, sleep disturbances, loss of trust in men, and sudden panic attacks. She expressed guilt despite knowing it was Baker's fault. Defending barrister Brian Mark acknowledged the devastation to Baker's life, including loss of family, but the court prioritised public protection given his reoffending risk.