This actor had his rape re-enactment scenes cut by 60 Minutes bosses after he was found to have done the unthinkable. Now he's in a desperate fight to clear his name
Joel Aaron Baker recently boasted on social media about his role on Nine's flagship current affairs program, which aired ten days after he was convicted and placed on a conditional release order.
The June 8 edition of 60 Minutes featured a report by Tara Brown about Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in the 2007 disappearance in Portugal of British toddler Madeleine McCann.
Brown had interviewed Irishwoman Hazel Behan, who claimed she was raped by Brueckner in 2004, and the program featured a re-enactment of that alleged attack.
Baker portrayed a balaclava-clad Brueckner, dressed all in black and carrying a hunting knife, as he tormented a terrified Ms Behan.
What 60 Minutes viewers did not know was that on May 29 he had faced a magistrate at Sutherland Local Court.
On that day Baker was cleared of assaulting his wife but convicted of another domestic violence-related offence - destroying or damaging property.
The destroy or damage property charge stemmed from an incident which occurred at the former couple's marital home last year.
Baker was placed on a 12-month conditional release order and made the subject of a two-year apprehended violence order protecting his wife, and is prohibited from going within 50m of her home or workplace.
The 36-year-old, from Sylvania Waters in Sydney's south, has now lodged an appeal against that conviction and finding of guilt in the NSW District Court.
Baker split from his wife in October last year and is only allowed to contact her through a lawyer.
As part of his conditional release order, Baker must comply with a treatment plan and take part in a domestic violence program under the supervision of a community corrections officer.
Two months earlier, Baker had seven other domestic violence-related common assault charges dismissed after being found not guilty, also at Sutherland Local Court.
A day after the 60 Minutes episode was aired, Baker posted on Facebook and Instagram about his latest acting experience.
'A small acting job I got to do for a re-enactment on last night's episode of 60 Minutes on Channel 9,' he wrote.
'Warning: It's not a nice topic related to the Madeline McCann case, but you can see the full story on @9now.'
Baker (far left) appeared as an Australian prisoner of the Japanese in four episodes of the critically acclaimed World War II television miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Promoting himself for playing a man perpetrating violence against a woman so soon after his conviction has appalled Baker's wife's family.
'What has caused our family even more distress is Joel's immediate public sharing of the 60 Minutes segment via his social media, seemingly celebrating his appearance despite the deeply concerning nature of his personal conduct,' one relative said.
After the Daily Mail alerted Nine to Baker's criminal history a spokesman said the network had not known about Baker's criminal conviction and the June 8 episode would be edited.
'Actors sourced for re-enactments are provided through a talent agency,' he said.
'We were not made aware of these claims and we are now in the process of removing the footage from the story on online episodes.'
Baker describes himself as an actor, model, DJ and 'digital creator', but until three years ago he was the manager of a McDonald's outlet.
A post on Baker's Instagram account about his 60 Minutes appearance featured footage of his performance.
One of his followers responded to that harrowing clip with the remark, 'The old smash and dash', to which Baker replied: 'F*** heavy...and yet you wouldn't let me the other day'.
Baker appeared as an Australian prisoner of the Japanese in four episodes of the recent critically acclaimed World War II television miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
He has also been seen as one of the notorious 'River Boys' being arrested on Home and Away, as well as in NCIS: Sydney, Strife and Last King of the Cross.
Baker's appeal is listed for hearing at Downing Centre District Court on October 2.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Inside the secret lives of Australia's 'Crazy Rich Chinese' students whose wild spending rivals the mysterious Rolls-Royce-driving LanLan: JONICA BRAY
When a wealthy young Chinese woman behind the wheel of a Tiffany-blue Rolls-Royce smashed into a car being driven by Kyle Sandilands ' chauffeur - leaving him seriously injured - I couldn't help but think it was the most ' Sydney ' story I'd ever heard. The details are extraordinary: LanLan Yang, 23, was allegedly drunk when police say she veered the $1million car onto the wrong side of the road and slammed into a Mercedes van, writing it off.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Lions hooker to face disciplinary committee over alleged foul play
Dan Sheehan, the British and Irish Lions hooker, has been cited for alleged foul play during the third Test against Australia. The incident involved apparent head contact with Wallabies fly half Tom Lynagh during a ruck clear-out. Lynagh subsequently failed a head injury assessment, ending his participation in the match before half-time. World Rugby 's Independent Foul Play Review Committee will review the incident on Sunday under Law 9.20 (a). Australia secured a 22-12 victory in the match, preventing a 3-0 series whitewash.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Vile rapist father who impregnated his 14-year-old daughter has won a major legal battle
A father will serve a reduced sentence upon appeal after impregnating his own daughter and searching for fake DNA tests. The West Australian forklift driver, who legally cannot be named, pleaded guilty in 2024 to 40 counts of sexual offending against his daughter, 17, when she was aged between 11 and 14. He was charged over four years of offending between 2019 and 2022, after one of the teen's teacher discovered she was pregnant at 14-years-old. He also pleaded guilty to five further counts of possessing child sexual abuse material, produced while committing the sexual offences. He was dealt a 14-and-a-half year prison term for the offending. But he appealed the sentence on account of his early guilty plea. He was granted a 10 per cent sentence reduction for the plea, but argued it should have been 25 per cent. The WA Supreme Court found his appeal to have solid grounds. The man cannot be named at risk of identifying his daughter as a survivor of child sexual abuse. His lawyer, Mark Gunning, said the original 10 per cent discount against his sentence was 'manifestly inadequate', adding his early plea had saved his daughter from testifying at a trial. Public prosecutions lawyer Natalie Sinton said the reduction was not unreasonable as the man's daughter had given birth to his child and he had filmed his acts. However, she conceded she was unaware of any case where an offender having entered a plea of guilty at the first reasonable opportunity was afforded a discount of only 10 per cent. The Supreme Court panel of appeals ruled in the man's favour, deciding the initial 10 per cent reduction had been 'unreasonable' and 'plainly unjust'. The panel adjusted his sentence to include a 22 per cent discount against the first three counts of offending, and 20 per cent for the remaining accounts. The man will now serve 12 years, two-and-a-half years less than his original sentence. 'As strong as the State's case was in relation to all of the counts, counts one, two, and three were slightly weaker, having regard to the fact that they were not video recorded,' the panel stated. The court heard how the offending was 'brazen' and occurred on occasion with other children in the home, or on one occasion with other children in the room. It heard he raped his daughter without using a condom, exposing her to potential diseases and the risk of pregnancy. Her eventual pregnancy came to light when the school brought it to the attention of the police. She then told her mother, who has been separated from the father for 15 years, that her baby was his. She was about 30 weeks pregnant at that stage. When police arrested and interviewed the father in 2023, they seized his telephone and discovered a series of disturbing Google searches. They included 'Can a mother refuse a paternity test Australia,' 'What does a fake DNA test look like,' 'How long can a drug test pick up meth,' and 'Can police see deleted DMs'. He later read a news article titled: 'Man gaoled for fake DNA test to deny parentage of two sons'. The man's amended sentence is backdated to March 28, 2023. He is already eligible for parole. Lifeline: 13 11 14
