NICO BAXTER SENTENCED TO 23 YEARS IN PRISON IN EAST SUSSEX FOR MULTIPLE SEXUAL OFFENCES
A man with an amphetamine addiction has been sentenced to 23 years in prison after being convicted of drugging and raping three men.The third offence occurred in East Sussex in April 2021.
During this incident, Nico Baxter, aged 39, approached a homeless man sleeping on a bench and invited him to his flat under the guise of sharing coffee.
The court heard that they discussed being gay before taking amphetamines, which Baxter injected into the victim.
The men engaged in foreplay, but the victim stated there was to be no penetration because of Baxter's HIV status.
Nonetheless, Baxter proceeded to commit rape.
The victim described the trauma, saying Baxter had 'ruined his life in one day.' The first two offences took place in Manchester and Stockport, where Baxter previously lived, both involving drug use.
The earliest offence was on December 16, 2019, when Baxter encountered a man on the streets of Manchester.
They went back to Baxter’s house, where he contacted his drug dealer for crack cocaine and used it together.
Baxter then left and returned with another woman, and more drugs were consumed, court heard.
The victim later went to bed but woke up to Baxter on top of him.
He described feeling intense pain, with his boxer shorts pulled off, and being unable to resist, lying frozen while Baxter raped him.
Baxter then left the room, going downstairs while the victim remained in bed, afraid.
Later, Baxter returned upstairs and raped him again while he was immobile and powerless.
Hours later, the victim, struggling with drug addiction and mourning a lost loved one, went downstairs.
Baxter told him, 'Let me look after you.' The victim, overwhelmed, took an overdose and spent several days in hospital before reporting the assault to police.
During his trial, he said the incident had undermined his pride and dignity as a man.
The second incident occurred in April 2020 in Stockport, involving a man waiting for a friend.
Baxter approached him and falsely claimed his friend was at Baxter’s house, intending to lure the victim inside.
He offered him a small white tablet and pretended to call his friend.
When asked if he was gay, the victim replied he was not and had a girlfriend.
Baxter then approached him with a syringe, squirting its contents into his mouth, which caused him to lose consciousness.
He woke up on a mattress with no memory of how he arrived there, realizing Baxter was raping him.
The assault happened again after he regained consciousness, leaving the victim feeling 'powerless.' Disheartened and distressed, the victim left and called police.
He described feeling 'belittled and disgusted,' and said he felt 'duped' by Baxter, emphasizing his vulnerability, low self-worth, and fear around men.
The court established that Baxter had 37 previous convictions over 84 offences, none related to sexual crimes.
Barrister Beverley Cherrill, representing Baxter, stated that intervention was necessary to address his drug use and reduce risks associated with it.
Judge Bernadette Baxter sentenced Nico Baxter, emphasizing his lack of remorse and denial of responsibility, noting that he claimed the assaults were consensual.
The judge described him as a 'predatory sex offender' whose addiction heightened his sexual preoccupations, allowing him to target vulnerable individuals.
She highlighted his pre-planning and lack of control over impulses.
Although Baxter was HIV positive, her statement clarified that at the time of the offences, his viral load was undetectable, which was relevant to the victims’ concerns.
Following a jury trial in February, Baxter was found guilty of seven counts of rape.
He received a prison term of 23 years with an extended two-year license period and was ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely.
He will serve two-thirds of his sentence before potential release.
The judge concluded, 'I find you to be a dangerous offender under the sentencing provisions, and that you present a significant risk of serious harm to members of the public.'
