Paul Baker (38), formerly of Main Street, Gurteen appeared before Judge Keenan Johnson at Sligo Circuit Court for sentencing.
The defendant pleaded guilty that between May 11, 2024, and May 12, 2024, at The Crossbar, Gurteen he sexually assaulted the girl.
Mr Leo Mulrooney BL with State Solicitor Ms Elisa McHugh prosecuted whilst Ms Eileen O’Leary SC, along with Mr Keith O’Grady BL instructed by Mr Mark Mullaney solicitor appeared for Baker.
Sergeant Helen Munnelly outlined the evidence led by Mr Mulrooney.
The court heard that the defendant was arraigned and pleaded guilty to the offences at Sligo Circuit Court on January 27, 2026.
At the time of the offence, Baker was 36 and the victim was 16.
On May 13, 2024, Sgt Munnelly received a call from the victim’s father about an alleged assault in The Crossbar at Gurteen.
Upon arrival at the victim’s home, she informed Sgt Munnelly that she began working at the bar in November 2023. The business was leased by Baker since October 2023.
The victim’s father told Sgt Munnelly that he drove her to work on May 11. She was working in the kitchen that day.
At 11:30pm, he received a text saying that she was finished and that herself, Baker and another staff member were having a few drinks while watching Eurovision.
When the victim texted that she was ready to go home, he drove the one minute drive to collect her and pulled his truck up at the bar. He informed his daughter that he was outside, and she replied that she was coming.
He then waited outside a further 10 minutes and texted his daughter to hurry up. Five minutes later, he texted her again. At 00:20am. his daughter came out of the bar on her own.
He knew something was wrong as his daughter was not her normal bubbly self and he could see that she was holded herself back from crying. She spoke in small sentences which was out of character for her.
When they arrived at their home, he waited in the car for 20 minutes and asked her what was wrong. She replied that it was something stupid that happened at work.
On Monday, May 13, at 9:30pm, the victim came up to her father and started crying and said that Baker was a weirdo.
She told her parents that Baker put his hands down her pants and pointed to where he touched her. The father then rang the gardaí.
Sgt Munnelly talked to the victim in the early hours of May 14. She then attended the Galway Sexual Assault Treatment unit. No injuries were noted on the victim. On May 15, 2024 at 6pm, gardaí executed a search warrant at The Crossbar and seized the CCTV footage.
On May 29, 2024, the victim was interviewed by gardaí. She said that after the bar was closed, she stayed behind along with another staff member and Baker to close it up and watch the end of Eurovision. She added that Baker had a three to four drinks.
The victim said that she got a text from her father that he was outside. She went to walk out to her father when Baker pulled the top of her shorts. He told the victim that he did not want her getting sick in her father’s car.
The defendant then put his hand inside the victim’s shorts. The victim said that she did not feel she could turn around to face Baker and fell to the floor to try to evade him.
The victim told Sgt Munnelly that the incident lasted about 20 minutes. When asked about Baker, she told Sgt Munnelly that she knew he had a wife and two children and that he used to be a boxer.
When asked about the assault, she said that Baker put his hand down her shorts and sexually assaulted her. She told Sgt Munnelly that the first assault lasted 30 seconds, and that the second assault lasted 40 – 50 seconds. She continued that it occurred on three occasions amd that on each occasion she fell to the floor to try and evade him.
When Baker assaulted her, she repeatedly told him no. The victim said that she was shocked, as her experience of him was that he was lovely to work with and that she did not know why he had done it. She continued that the assaults happened between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
The victim explained that they occasionally had a couple of drinks after work and that Baker allowed this. She added that she did not have to pay for these drinks and she could get her own.
The victim said that Baker was behind her all the time during the assaults and that on one occassion, she could see her father’s jeep for her. She said that the defendant attempted to film what he was doing. She explained that her father was the first person she told.
The victim told Sgt Munnelly that she felt bad for Baker and his family. She added that she felt bad for “ratting” on him and that she was shocked at what he did.
Sgt Munnelly read a statement from the barman who was in the premises with Baker and the victim. He said that when he left both Baker and the victim were tipsy and were in good spirits.
On October 8, 2024, at 9:20am, Baker was arrested and was subsequently interviewed on two occasions. The defendant informed gardaí that he had five to six employees at the Crossbar and that he ceased running the business on June 1, 2024.
When asked about the victim, he told gardaí that she was a good worker and always courteous. He said that the victim would sometimes come in upset over something that happened in school.
When asked how old she was, he guessed that she was 16 – 17. He continued that the victim could be overly harsh on herself at times.
Baker said that he had a good relationship with the victim.
When asked about messages between himself and the victim, Baker replied that he remembered waking up one morning to a picture of the Aurora Borealis sent from her.
Baker said that on May 11, 2024, Eurovision was on and they had a few drinks. He added that it was only himself, another barman and the victim in the premises. He added that after the barman left, the victim told her that she got a text from her father and that she got up to leave but fell on the floor.
Baker said that he helped her up off the floor. He added that the victim did not fall but that her legs went from underneath her. He added that he gave her one to two glasses of water.
Baker said that he started to give her hugs for some reason. He continued that he walked out the front door and saw the victim’s Dad and he probably waved.
When asked again, how many he had to drink, Baker said that he was not sure.
When asked if he put his hand underneath the victim’s clothing, Baker replied no. The victim’s interview was then read to Baker and he replied it’s not true. The defendant denied that he flirted with the victim at work.
In the second interview, full CCTV footage of the incident was shown to the defendant. Baker said that he did not remember a lot of his actions. He said that he felt surreal after viewing the footage. When asked how the video looked, he replied that it did not look good. He accepted that he took out his phone.
Baker was then shown text messages he had sent the victim. At 00:26am on May 12, he texted the victim, “I hope Dad is not too mad at you staying for the Eurovision party”.
On Christmas Day 2023, he sent her an image of a Lego car. He told gardaí that the victim got every staff member a present from the Christmas market she went to.
On the victim’s birthday, he bought her perfume. He explained that this was normal for staff to pay in to buy a staff member a present.
In February 2024, the victim texted Baker that the Crossbar gate is open. Baker replied “you’re open”. He told gardaí that he was just messing.
On the same day, he texted the victim, “you’re great, never forget that x”. He told gardaí that the victim was probably feeling down that day.
In March 2024, he texted the victim “were you giving me kisses” to which she replied “hahaha”.
In April 2024, the victim sent him a message “OMG amazing”. Baker replied “great xx”.
Another message exchange showed that Baker texted the victim back to work tomorrow. The victim replied yes and Baker replied “work, chop chop” along with a photo of a bed. Baker told gardaí that the photo of the bed was for the victim to go to sleep.
On May 9, 2024, Baker texted the victim, “don’t shave your arms x”. He told gardaí that this was a reference to cyclists shaving their arms and legs. The victim replied “I won’t x”.
Analysis of Baker’s phone showed that on May 12, at 11:16am he visited an adult video website and looked up and viewed a video with teenagers in it.
The court heard that the defendant had no previous convictions.
Ms O’Leary asked Sgt Munnelly to confirm if her client had come to no gardaí attention since, that he had been diagnosed with epilepsy aged 29 and requires medication and that initially he did not remember any of the incident. Sgt Munnelly confirmed this.
Sgt Munnelly further confirmed that Baker was shocked to see the incident on CCTV, that he had problems with alcohol and was not taking his medication around the incident and that he fully co-operated with the garda investigation and the probation services.
Mr Mulrooney called the victim to the witness box to read her victim impact statement.
The victim said that the night of May 11, 2024 has never left her head. She added that she wakes up between 2 – 3am nearly every night wth nightmares about it. She continued that some nights she waited to 3am to go to sleep so she would not have them.
The victim said that she felt stressed when she woke from a nightmare after seeing Baker in it and that she felt that she could not escape it. She continued that she was doing well in transistion year but after the incident she was begging her father to let her drop out of school.
The victim said that her mind during school was racing back to the day. She added that she was grateful for one of her teachers who helped her get through the school day.
The victim said that she was fearful of bumping into Baker when she had to go to her shop or pick up her little sister from school. She added that her grandparent’s house was across the street from him.
The victim said that she was grateful for the special support she got of her teacher and her family. She added that a year and a half ago she got a new job
She concluded that Baker had to think about his actions and the consequences they can have.
The victim’s father was then called to the witness box.
He told the court that in 2023, his daughter was trying to get a job and in November and following a trial she got a job at the Crossbar.
The father said that his daughter loved her job. He added that the Crossbar was where his family celebrated christenings, communions and special birthdays but they now hated looking at the place.
The father said that since the incident he had to teach his daughter that not every man is a bad person. He added that Baker did not know how close they were as a family. He thanked Sgt Munnelly who informed them every step of the way.
Mr Mulrooney told Judge Johnson that the maximum penalty was 14 years and that this fell into the mid range of between four and nine years. He added that the factors were that the age disparity of the victim, the breach of trust, the plying of alcohol to the victim, the pre-meditation and that he tried to video the offence.
Ms O’Leary called her client to the witness box.
Baker said sorry to the victim and her family. He added that he was repulsed and disgusted at what he saw on the CCTV.
He told Judge Johnson that his mother’s second marriage was not good and that her husband was abusive to her and the family. He added that they moved to Sligo when he was 12 and that his mother had an alcohol problem.
Baker said that he was bullied at school. He added that he took up boxing and won 7 Connacht titles. He added that when he was 29 he was diagnosed with epilepsy.
Baker said that he was a carpenter but that during the recession he was out of work. He added that he became a sous chef and started a culinery course at St Angela’s College.
Baker said that he married his wife Nuala in 2014 and they bought a house together in Gurteen. He added that he opened the premises in November 2023 and that he worked 17 hour days. He continued that the restaurant became not financially viable and he started leaning on alcohol more.
Baker said that he suffered a significant financial loss when he closed the restaurant in June 2024. He said that the messages between himself and the victim were jokes and that he texted staff similar stuff and that it was normal banter. He continued that he was shocked and disgusted by the CCTV footage.
Baker said that on the evening he drank heavily. He added that it was normal for his staff to have one to two drinks at the end of work. .
Baker said that after the offence occured, he went to Better Help and that he had stopped drinking completely now. He added that he had moved house and was now a 20 minute drive away from the victim. He continued that he had two daughters who are now enrolled in a new school. He explained that the incident with the victim was the main reason that they moved.
Baker concluded that he took full responsibility for what happened and that he was deeply remorseful.
Ms O’Leary called Baker’s wife, Nuala Baker to the witness box.
She acknowledged the full seriousness of her husband’s offence. She added that her husband was deeply regretful and that he should not have abused his position.
Mrs Baker said that her husband had been a really good father to their two daughters and was involved in their day to day activities.
She added that around the time of the offence, Baker had long periods of drinking heavily. She continued that the offence should never have happened and that her husband was a good family man.
Ms Baker said that her husband’s love of their children had kept them going.
Ms O’Leary handed in numerous medical reports to the court. The medical reports showed Baker had epilepsy and showed that he had stopped drinking. She added that her client’s last epilepsy seizure was two years ago and that he now takes all his medication.
Ms O’Leary said that her client’s probation report put him at a low risk of re-offending. She added that at the time of the offence, Baker was drinking heavily and was not taking his prescribed medication. She continued that her client was genuinely remorseful for his actions.
Ms O’Leary said that Baker moved away from the locality in order to make life easier for the victim. She added that her client had come to no adverse attention to the gardaí before or after the incident. She continued that Baker had a good work history and that he started up a food truck business after the restaurant failed.
Ms O’Leary said that Baker had a long history of depression and that he sought help after the incident which he found helpful.
Ms O’Leary suggested that Baker’s offence fell in the low range. She said that there was no evidence of pre-meditation.
Ms O’Leary said that Baker had €10,000 in court but as the victim did not wish to take it, he hoped that it would be given to a nominated charity of the court’s choosing. She added that her client went to rehabilitation of his own accord, and that the probation service deemed him suitable for community service.
Ms O’Leary asked Judge Johnson to be as lenient as possible and to not impose a custodial sentence.
Judge Johnson adjourned sentencing to Friday morning.
Passing sentence, Judge Johnson said that the CCTV showed that Baker committed the offence for his sexual gratification. He added that he put his phone out not to record it but to illuminate his offending. Judge Johnson continued that the victim was extremely vulnerable at the time.
Judge Johnson said that the victim impact statement showed that the victim was severely traumatised by the offence and that she will never be the girl she was. He added that the victim’s family were deeply affected by the offence.
Judge Johnson noted that the aggravating factors were the age disparity, that it was a gross breach of trust, a serious violation of the victim’s bodily integrity and had a negative impact on the victim.
Judge Johnson said he did not accept that the offence was premediated. He added that he believed that the messages between the defendant and the victim were innocuous and that the web search submission was not proven beyond reasonable doubt.
In regards to mitigation, Judge Johnson noted that Baker had no previous convictions, that he was deemed at a low risk of re-offending and that he had a good work history. He added that the defendant’s guilty plea saved the State and the victim going through a trial.
Judge Johnson also noted that Baker took responsibility for his alcohol problems and offered the victim €10,000. He continued that it was commendable of the victim not to accept the money.
Judge Johnson said that the offence warranted a headline sentence of six years. Taking into account the mitigation, Judge Johnson reduced the sentence to three years. He suspended the last nine months of the sentence for a period of three years post release, on condition that he kept the peace and be of good behaviour.
Judge Johnson said that the matter of offending was too grave to not give Baker a custodial sentence. He added that he very much regretted the effect it would have on the defendant’s wife and children. He directed the €10,000 to be given to Baker’s wife for their children.
– Article funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.