In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that then 53-year-old Steven Baker was sentenced to 28 months in prison after being snared by paedophile hunters just eight weeks after a previous release. Appearing at Cardiff Crown Court, South Glamorgan, the chef—of Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, South Glamorgan—admitted to attempting to meet a girl under 16 and engaging in sexual communications. It was reported that Baker had already served an eight-month sentence the previous year for similar offences involving a 14-year-old decoy while working at the Deri Inn pub in Rhiwbina, Cardiff, South Glamorgan.
The investigation established that Baker used the phrase age is just a number when messaging a perceived 13-year-old girl and warned her not to tell her mother as she would be angry he was overage. South Wales Police reported that members of the hunter groups KKS, Angels of Innocence, and Dank Dragon attempted to catch Baker at Cardiff Central train station, but eventually confronted him at his home. The prosecution reported that Baker attempted to flee before dropping to his knees as the chat logs were read aloud to him in Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, South Glamorgan.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Baker’s rapid reoffending demonstrated a total lack of rehabilitation and a persistent risk to the public. Cardiff Crown Court, South Glamorgan, heard that Baker had twice breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) by accessing unmonitored chatrooms almost immediately upon his release from his first prison term. The investigation established that in addition to the grooming offences, Baker was also found in possession of a controlled Class A drug during his arrest in Cardiff, South Glamorgan.
Judge Richard Williams presided over the sentencing where it was noted that Baker’s previous home search had uncovered Category A indecent images on a tablet and laptop. For his actions in Cardiff, South Glamorgan, Baker was jailed for 28 months and made subject to a new, more restrictive SHPO. The judge noted that the defendant’s repeated targeting of children, despite previous incarceration and police intervention, necessitated a significant custodial period to uphold the protection of the public.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in Wales, the status of Steven Baker as of late 2019 was as follows:
- Custodial Sentence: 28 months (Sentenced 2019).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active for life.
- SHPO Status: New Sexual Harm Prevention Order active with strict internet monitoring.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court, South Glamorgan, following a South Wales Police investigation.
- Criminal Record: Attempting to meet a child; Sexual communication; Breach of SHPO (x2); Possession of Class A drugs.
- Origin: Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, South Glamorgan.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Baker is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) as a Category 1 high-risk predator within the South Glamorgan area. Due to the nature of his conduct in Cardiff, which involved the persistent and immediate return to predatory online behaviour following prison release, his management is a maximum priority. Authorities state that his history of bypassing court orders to access chatrooms requires the most intensive digital forensic monitoring and unannounced home visits by the Public Protection Unit.
As a registered sex offender for life, Baker’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that his behaviour in South Glamorgan demonstrated a calculated effort to manipulate children through deceptive age narratives. Any failure to comply with his notification requirements, any attempt to access unauthorized communication apps, or any presence near schools or parks will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the community and to uphold the protection of the public from a confirmed and habitual offender.
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