George Baker appearing at Auckland District Court to defend a charge of threatening to stab guards. Photo / Doug Sherring
George Baker appearing at Auckland District Court to defend a charge of threatening to stab guards. Photo / Doug Sherring
One of the country's most brutal and high-profile killers has been found guilty of threatening to stab an Auckland Prison guard with a makeshift shank.
The jury took more than seven hours to reach their verdict that George Charlie Baker was guilty of threatening to do grievous bodily harm.
The threat was recorded by a guard with her on-body camera, which she had switched on after seeing Baker had a weapon.
In 2006, Baker was jailed for life with a minimum non-parole period of 18 years for the murder of teenager Liam Ashley in the back of a prison van.
He is serving the sentence in the maximum security prison in Paremoremo.
During a two-day trial at the Auckland District Court this week, the convicted killer tried to defend the most recent charge by claiming he had acted in self defence.
A few days prior to the threats, there had been an incident involving the Killer Beez gang which Baker is a member of.
As a result, Baker said the corrections officers were on edge.
Baker's lawyer, Annabel Cresswell, said in her closing the defendant felt fearful for his safety and can be heard saying in a video of the incident: "There's fifty of youse".
She urged the jury to set aside any feelings of prejudice - especially because he was a prisoner - before making their decision and reach their verdict based on the facts.
However, the Crown said Baker was the aggressor and prosecutor Robin McCoubrey said it was "beyond any doubt" Baker intended his threats to be taken seriously given he had a weapon - a makeshift shank.
The jury saw the footage of the incident which was recorded after the acting principal corrections officer at the prison, commonly known as Paremoremo, switched on her body camera.
In it, Baker is dressed in just a towel and waves a shank at guards with his right hand. He can be heard saying:
• "I'll kill one of youse." • "I'll stab you in the head, c***." • "I'm a man, Miss. I want to fight with the men." • "I'm serious."
The prison guard told the court Baker had requested to change cells, which they were happy to allow.
On August 19, the guard and four others went to move Baker and he'd opted to take his mattress with him.
She said she'd spoken to him earlier in the day and had a "gentle talk" but when he returned from the shower he had a blanket over his arm.
Baker asked the female guard to leave and to go to the end of the unit and she asked him why and what he was thinking.
She said Baker told her he "wanted to sort the boys out".
The jury was sent to deliberate at 2.30pm on Tuesday afternoon, and didn't return with their verdict until 1.45pm today.
As the foreman read their decision, Baker didn't react or show any sign of emotion.
Before Judge Jonathan Down dismissed the jury, he thanked them for their service and told them Baker was a "life prisoner" which meant he could only impose a concurrent sentence for the conviction.
"It's still a significant thing that he will have this conviction on his record."
He will be sentenced at the North Shore District Court next month.
In November 2006 Baker was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum non-parole period of 18 years.
In 2010 he was convicted of attacking a guard as he was being transported back to Paremoremo from Middlemore Hospital, where he had been treated for a self-inflicted wrist wound.
In August that year he was convicted of taking an 82-year-old fellow inmate - a child sex offender - hostage and threatening to kill him.
In both attacks Baker used makeshift weapons.
George Charlie Baker when he faced charges over the death of 17-year-old Liam Ashley in 2006. Photo / NZH
