Overview
- At Liverpool Magistrates' Court, the 43-year-old indicated not guilty pleas to four counts of perverting the course of justice, with her solicitor saying she maintains the accusations are truthful.
- Charging documents allege she falsely claimed abuse in Cannock Chase and other locations and wrongly identified former MP John Hemming, the late Roy Jenkins, and former police chief Simon Cole in connection with offences.
- District Judge Timothy Boswell granted unconditional bail and sent the case to Liverpool Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on February 11.
- The Crown Prosecution Service said the case follows a lengthy joint investigation with Staffordshire Police and is proceeding because it believes the allegations were false, malicious, and prosecuting is in the public interest.
- Baker’s allegations were previously probed by Staffordshire Police in 2015–2017 without charges, and John Hemming later won a related libel case; Jenkins died in 2003 and Cole died in 2022.