PETER BAKER FROM FELTHAM SENTENCED FOR CHILD PORN, GUN, AND INDECENT ACTS

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Feltham community, Peter Baker, a 56-year-old man with a troubling criminal history, was brought before Isleworth Crown Court to face serious charges related to child exploitation, illegal possession of a firearm, and breaches of sex offender regulations.

It was revealed during the court proceedings that Baker, a resident of Fern Grove in Feltham, had accumulated a disturbing collection of child pornography on his personal laptop. The police investigation uncovered dozens of indecent images, with one classified as the most severe on their scale of 1 to 5, indicating the highest level of seriousness. In total, Baker was found to possess 20 images, with 19 of them rated at level four and one at level five, the latter depicting explicit sexual activity involving children, including scenes of abuse and exploitation.

Furthermore, Baker admitted to 20 charges of possessing indecent images of children and requested that an additional 39 charges be considered by the court. His criminal record includes a previous conviction for indecent assault, adding to the gravity of his current offenses. The court also heard that Baker was found in possession of a shotgun without a license, a serious firearms violation, and had failed to notify authorities of his change of address as required by the sex offenders' register when he moved in August.

Judge Sam Katkhuda, presiding over the case, expressed his condemnation of Baker’s actions, stating, “I have seen some of these images depicting children in explicit sexual activity, involving the exploitation of children in an abusive and degrading way. I have seen the distressed face of one young girl. It must be absolutely clear to those who take part in such activities that substantial prison sentences will be passed.”

The police investigation was initiated in August last year when officers responded to another matter at Baker’s residence. During their visit, they noticed images of young girls on his computer. The following day, a search was conducted, during which authorities seized Baker’s hard drive, several videos and DVDs, and an old shotgun capable of firing .22 cartridges. Baker explained to police that he had found the firearm in an outside cupboard and brought it inside to see if it was suitable for Western re-enactments, a hobby he was involved in.

In interviews, Baker also admitted to actively attempting to meet young girls via the internet, raising further concerns about his intentions. The investigation revealed that the pornography was stored on a file-sharing platform called Kazar, with the most disturbing image involving sadism rather than bestiality, according to prosecutors.

During the court proceedings, Baker’s defense attorney, Ajanta Kaza, argued that her client did not distribute or create the images but merely downloaded them from the file-sharing program. She emphasized that Baker did not intend to harm and that his possession of the firearm was unintentional, as it was unloaded and he had no ammunition. She also explained that his failure to update the sex offenders’ register was a misunderstanding when he moved out of his previous residence and started sleeping in his van.

Prosecutor Simon Shannon highlighted the severity of the case, stating, “The police responded to reports of Baker committing an indecent act on his doorstep in front of a young girl, which led to his arrest. The images found on his computer are deeply disturbing, and the court must consider the impact on the victims.”

Judge Katkhuda sentenced Baker to a total of three years and four months in prison. He also ordered Baker to remain on the sex offenders’ register for life, confiscated his computer, and issued a destruction order for the firearm. The judge’s remarks underscored the seriousness of Baker’s crimes, emphasizing that those involved in such activities face significant penalties and that justice must be served to protect vulnerable children from exploitation.