Brothel owner Wayne Baker ordered to pay £135,000

Wayne Baker faces three more years in jail if he does not pay up

A man who lured girls as young as 14 into prostitution has been ordered to pay more than £135,000 from his assets or face another three years in jail.

Wayne Baker, 61, of Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, was jailed for 11 years after admitting 22 sex offences involving young girls at Newport Crown Court.

A Proceeds of Crime hearing before the same judge on Thursday heard Baker earned £529,000 from sex parties with girls he recruited via the internet.

Gwent Police welcomed the order.

The trial in Febuary heard "sex-obsessed" Baker trawled social networking sites to search for girls he could lure into prostitution.

He lied about his age in teenage internet chatrooms, duping some of his victims with the promise of work as models.

His "quasi-legitimate" businesses included one called Mayfair Models, the court heard.

Gwent Police had said Baker's was one of the worst cases of its kind in the area and praised the victims who gave evidence.

'Strong message'

Judge David Morris at Newport Crown Court told Baker he would have to serve another thrree years if he did not meet the Proceeds of Crime order and would still have to find the cash after his release.

Baker will have to be supervised on his release from jail for a further four years and has been placed on the sex offenders' register for life.

After the crime proceeds hearing, Gwent Police Det Ch Insp Bill Davies, said: "The result of today's hearing shows that criminals can be made to pay for their crimes in a number of different ways.

"This case sends a strong message out to offenders that we can and will make every effort to ensure you do not benefit in any way from the crimes you commit, even on your release from prison."

The money seized from Baker is expected to go to frontline agencies including the police.