A former teacher from the Midlands has been sentenced for indecently assaulting a young pupil during the 1990s.
Mark Baker, now 53, was in his 20s when he worked at The River School in Worcester. During that time, he formed an inappropriate relationship with a 12-year-old girl, grooming and sexually abusing her, according to West Mercia Police.
The crimes were reported to police in July 2023, decades after the abuse took place. Following an investigation by Worcester’s Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) team, Baker, of Haws Hill, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16.
At Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday, October 21, he was handed a 24-month community order, required to complete 50 days of rehabilitation activity and perform 180 hours of unpaid work. Baker was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years and ordered to pay court costs.
Detective Sergeant Kirsty Hickling of the PVP team said:
“Baker abused his position of trust to groom a young girl and went on to sexually abuse her.
No child should ever feel unsafe at the hands of someone who is supposed to protect them. I commend the victim for her bravery in coming forward.”
She added that the case should encourage others to report abuse, no matter how long ago it occurred:
“We take all reports of sexual abuse seriously. Victims deserve to be heard and to see justice done.”
West Mercia Police urged anyone affected by sexual abuse to seek support through Victim Support Gateway, which provides emotional and practical help across Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.
