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Judge lifts photo ban in Baker sex slave case

Keith Baker and his wife, Caroline Baker who were jailed this week for holding a mentally disabled woman captive for six years and subjecting her to horrific sexual attacks
Keith Baker and his wife, Caroline Baker who were jailed this week for holding a mentally disabled woman captive for six years and subjecting her to horrific sexual attacks Keith Baker and his wife, Caroline Baker who were jailed this week for holding a mentally disabled woman captive for six years and subjecting her to horrific sexual attacks

A JUDGE has lifted a ban on the media showing photographs of a woman convicted alongside her husband in a sex-slave case in Co Armagh.

On Tuesday, Caroline Baker and her husband, Keith were jailed for holding a mentally disabled woman captive in their home in Craigavon for eight years and subjecting her to a horrifying catalogue of sexual assaults.

While photographs appeared of Keith Baker, reporting restrictions meant the media could not publish any pictures of his wife.

The court heard the couple kept their victim in a filthy room in the property with no heat, light bulb or carpet and the door handle had been removed on the inside, meaning she was unable to escape.

The bathroom floor was covered in human waste and her mattress was badly stained.

Evidence gathered at the scene showed the perpetrators filmed themselves attacking their helpless victim from a camera suspended from the ceiling.

The woman’s learning difficulties were so severe her IQ placed her in the lowest 0.3 per cent of the population.

She went from being well nourished to emaciated and extremely thin with a distended abdomen as time went on.

When she was rescued by police in 2012 most of her teeth had to be removed due to the poor hygiene and diet that was afforded to her.

The woman had been reported missing in England in 2004, when the judge said Baker took her to Northern Ireland.

Neighbours of the couple in Craigavon reported that they did not know the victim was in the house during the time.

A total of eight children also lived in the house, along with another woman - also a partner of Keith Baker - who eventually reported the crimes to the police.

Keith Baker (61) was sentenced to 15 years in prison with a further five on licence, while his wife, Caroline received a three-year term of which 18 months will be spent in jail.

The couple, who met when they both worked for the Salvation Army, had pleaded guilty to sexual activity involving penetration and causing a person with a mental disorder to engage in sexual activity.

Keith Baker, who was raised in Guernsey and lived most of his life in Kent, was also charged with rape and indecent assault.

Caroline Baker was further charged with aiding and abetting rape and other sexual offences including indecent assault.

The Public Prosecution Service has said it will consider appealing against the sentences handed to the couple.

Following the sentencing, while the media were free to publish photographs of Keith Baker, a court order granted in 2014 prevented images of Caroline Baker being made public.

Yesterday however, a judge lifted the ban.