ADAM BAKER FROM CROOK CAUGHT WITH CHILD INDECENT IMAGES IN DUREHAM

In March 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Adam Baker, a resident of Crook, who was found to have downloaded and possessed a significant number of indecent images of children. The police investigation revealed that Baker had stored these illicit images on both his mobile phone and his computer tower, which were seized during a search of his home in Crook on June 14 of the previous year.

Durham Crown Court was informed that the images included 54 in the most serious category, with the majority being videos rather than static pictures. Prosecutor Jonathan Gittins explained that these images had been downloaded from the internet over a span of ten days in November 2019. Most of the content on Baker’s hard drive had already been deleted, with only one image remaining on the computer tower’s storage.

During police interviews, Baker admitted to possessing the images, although he claimed he was not sexually aroused by the material. The court was also told that some of the children depicted were very young, with some appearing to be in pain or distress, which added to the severity of the case.

Adam Baker, aged 31 and residing in Scafell Gardens, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. His defense lawyer, Duncan McReddie, argued that Baker had only viewed the images for a brief period of no more than ten days and that he lacked the technological skills to retrieve the images once they were deleted. Mr. McReddie also highlighted Baker’s honesty during the police interview, describing his candor as “very high,” which he noted was unusual in such cases.

Judge Recorder Carl Gumsley addressed the court, emphasizing the broader implications of such offenses. He stated that individuals who view, create, and download such images contribute to the ongoing cycle of abuse, which results in the gross violation and suffering of children. As a result, Baker was sentenced to a three-year community order. This order requires him to complete 40 days of rehabilitation activities supervised by probation and attend up to 90 days of a sex offender treatment program, aiming to address his behavior and prevent future offenses.