LESLEY BAKER SHOCKS FAIRFIELD WITH SEX OFFENSES IN LIVERPOOL COURT
| Red Rose Database
Fairfield Rapist
In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the Fairfield community, Leslie Baker, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, faced justice at Liverpool Crown Court. Baker, 63 years old and residing on Laurel Road in Fairfield, was convicted of serious sexual misconduct involving a young girl, as well as a previous assault on a boy decades earlier.
Back in July 2014, Baker was sentenced to 12 months in prison for his role in the sexual assault of a boy during the 1970s. However, shortly after his release from incarceration, Baker made a startling confession to a probation hostel worker. He admitted that he had also sexually abused a teenage girl during the 1980s, revealing a pattern of predatory behavior that spanned many years.
The court proceedings revealed that Baker had indecently assaulted the girl on at least three separate occasions. Despite these admissions, he was acquitted of two counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault after a trial. The court heard that Baker, at the time of the abuse, was significantly older than his young victim, who he had invited into his home and groomed over a period of time.
Prosecutor Charlotte Kenny detailed the horrific nature of the abuse, stating that Baker “taught” his victim how to perform sexual acts on him. The victim also recounted being filmed with a cine camera by Baker, although there was no evidence that the camera was operational. The trauma inflicted on her has had lifelong repercussions, with her suffering from panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares, and feelings of being robbed of her childhood. She expressed that she no longer feels in control of her life and is currently on medication to manage her mental health struggles.
Further details emerged about Baker’s past offenses. He was convicted of gross indecency with a boy aged between 12 and 14, who was abused in a disused dairy building. During the attack, Baker and another man approached the young boy, took him upstairs, and attempted to sexually assault him. The boy fought back, managing to grab Baker’s genitals and cause him pain, but was slapped by the other man. Despite his brave resistance, the boy escaped and did not report the incident to authorities until many years later.
The victim eventually came forward after Baker approached his son years later, making a provocative comment: “How’s your old fella? Tell him he’s a w***er.” This remark prompted the victim to report the abuse to the police, leading to Baker’s conviction. The court also noted that Baker had a prior conviction for indecent exposure in 1973, for which he received a one-year probation order.
During the hearing, Baker’s defense lawyer, Sarah Holt, highlighted his poor health, mentioning that he uses a walking stick and suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which was caused by asbestos exposure in his lungs. The judge, Denis Watson, QC, acknowledged that Baker had pleaded guilty to the charges on the basis that the girl was between 14 and 15 years old when the abuse started, but he proceeded on the assumption that she was at least 13, which affected the sentencing guidelines.
Judge Watson described Baker’s actions as “significant and serious offending,” emphasizing the grooming process Baker used to manipulate his victims. The judge explained that Baker had cultivated a false sense of trust and familiarity, which he exploited to commit his crimes. He noted that Baker’s own children, who were slightly younger than the victims, may have contributed to the victim’s confidence in him.
In sentencing, Baker was sentenced to two years and ten months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and to adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next ten years, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the community from further harm.
Back in July 2014, Baker was sentenced to 12 months in prison for his role in the sexual assault of a boy during the 1970s. However, shortly after his release from incarceration, Baker made a startling confession to a probation hostel worker. He admitted that he had also sexually abused a teenage girl during the 1980s, revealing a pattern of predatory behavior that spanned many years.
The court proceedings revealed that Baker had indecently assaulted the girl on at least three separate occasions. Despite these admissions, he was acquitted of two counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault after a trial. The court heard that Baker, at the time of the abuse, was significantly older than his young victim, who he had invited into his home and groomed over a period of time.
Prosecutor Charlotte Kenny detailed the horrific nature of the abuse, stating that Baker “taught” his victim how to perform sexual acts on him. The victim also recounted being filmed with a cine camera by Baker, although there was no evidence that the camera was operational. The trauma inflicted on her has had lifelong repercussions, with her suffering from panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares, and feelings of being robbed of her childhood. She expressed that she no longer feels in control of her life and is currently on medication to manage her mental health struggles.
Further details emerged about Baker’s past offenses. He was convicted of gross indecency with a boy aged between 12 and 14, who was abused in a disused dairy building. During the attack, Baker and another man approached the young boy, took him upstairs, and attempted to sexually assault him. The boy fought back, managing to grab Baker’s genitals and cause him pain, but was slapped by the other man. Despite his brave resistance, the boy escaped and did not report the incident to authorities until many years later.
The victim eventually came forward after Baker approached his son years later, making a provocative comment: “How’s your old fella? Tell him he’s a w***er.” This remark prompted the victim to report the abuse to the police, leading to Baker’s conviction. The court also noted that Baker had a prior conviction for indecent exposure in 1973, for which he received a one-year probation order.
During the hearing, Baker’s defense lawyer, Sarah Holt, highlighted his poor health, mentioning that he uses a walking stick and suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which was caused by asbestos exposure in his lungs. The judge, Denis Watson, QC, acknowledged that Baker had pleaded guilty to the charges on the basis that the girl was between 14 and 15 years old when the abuse started, but he proceeded on the assumption that she was at least 13, which affected the sentencing guidelines.
Judge Watson described Baker’s actions as “significant and serious offending,” emphasizing the grooming process Baker used to manipulate his victims. The judge explained that Baker had cultivated a false sense of trust and familiarity, which he exploited to commit his crimes. He noted that Baker’s own children, who were slightly younger than the victims, may have contributed to the victim’s confidence in him.
In sentencing, Baker was sentenced to two years and ten months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and to adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next ten years, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the community from further harm.