Northampton judge sends paedophile ‘with warped and distorted thinking’ to prison for 15 years

A 73-year-old man has been sent to prison for over 15 years for multiple child sex offences and voyeurism.

Stephen Baker, aged 73, from Cromford Road, Langley Mill, Nottingham, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Wednesday, January 4 after pleading guilty to two counts of voyeurism, two counts of sexually assaulting a child, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and three counts of making indecent photographs of children.

Baker was arrested after police attended his home and seized a computer tower, laptop and phone that contained over 5,000 indecent images of children after two victims came forward.

Paul Prior, prosecuting, said that 1,194 images were of the same child who had been sexually assaulted. The court heard that some of the indecent images were of a victim’s face superimposed onto bodies of other children.

The child victim, in a statement, said that - as a result of Baker’s actions - she has lost her trust with men, has no self worth and feels “dirty.”

She went on to describe how she has regular nightmares about what he did to her and she would wake up crying. She says she has suicidal thoughts, developed nervous ticks and the ordeal has left her unable to go to school.

“The thoughts of what he did to me don't go away and I get flashbacks. I get sick when I think about it and I think it is my fault. I am scarred for life,” she said.

Mr Prior said Baker also took images of a woman naked without her knowledge.

This victim said she has experienced extreme anxiety and distress since the voyeurism incidents and now has to take antidepressants daily to function.

She said: “I keep breaking down mentally to the point I feel I can’t go on anymore. He has destroyed my life.”

The court heard that Baker had no previous convictions.

Mr Blakebrough, in mitigation, said that Baker suffers with significant health issues, including chronic kidney disease, COPD and anaemia.

The defence barrister said: “He is somebody who is in poor medical, physical shape and whose life expectancy is not great. A long-term prison sentence may mean he is effectively never released from it.”

The court heard that Baker is responsible for caring for a severely disabled relative and there is no evidence he distributed any indecent images.

Recorder Graham Huston, in his sentencing remarks, said: “There is no indication of remorse on your part, you seek to blame your victims for what you did and you seek to find excuses for your behaviour at every turn.

“You are an extremely manipulative paedophile with warped and distorted thinking.

“You are - and will be for a long time - a very dangerous man.”

Baker was sentenced to 13 years and six months imprisonment with an extended licence period of two years. A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed indefinitely.