Three jailed after man was beaten and left naked in remote car park

He had been taken to the site in the boot of a car by Alexander Falla and Joanne Marie Baker, over an alleged unpaid £4,500 drug debt.

The two, joined later by Liam Michael Reece Wakeford, attacked him when they reached Pleinmont.

Baker, 37, and Falla, 27, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm. Wakeford, 21, admitted assault, and all three also admitted serious drugs offences. All were sent to prison for lengthy sentences yesterday.

Crown Advocate Chris Dunford told the court that Baker and Falla had been searching for the victim. When they found him, they told him to get in their car. Others were already seated, so they put him in the boot, which had no parcel shelf.

Baker called Wakeford on the way to Pleinmont.

The victim gave varying accounts of what had happened, but Advocate Dunford said he was taken out of the boot and attacked by Baker and Falla, punched in the head and kicked as he lay on the ground. Wakeford arrived, ran at him and delivered a flying kick to the head.

Wakeford removed the man’s shoes and threw them over the cliff before he and Falla stripped the victim naked, and left him with a fractured eye socket.

The defendants drove off, leaving the victim to seek help from a nearby house.

‘This was a sustained, nasty, serious and planned assault by two people with poor records,’ said Judge Russell Finch.

Wakeford’s involvement in the incident was due to alleged insults made by the victim against the his mother, the court heard.

Baker and Falla also admitted being involved in the supply of the class B drugs cannabis and cannabis resin to another and Falla admitted the importation of the drugs, while Wakeford also pleaded guilty to importing cannabis resin.

The drugs offences against Baker and Falla came to light after their home was searched and empty packages were found. Falla admitted they had contained drugs which he had imported, totalling 736g. A further 112g of cannabis and cannabis resin and more than £6,000 in cash was found, which led to the supply charges.

Cannabis resin was found in a carrier bag in the grounds of Wakeford’s home and DNA evidence tied him to the drugs, totalling 1.837kg.

Falla had previous convictions for supplying, possession and importation of controlled drugs, and assault, Baker had been sentenced to five years’ youth detention in 2005 for manslaughter and also had an assault conviction, while Wakeford had convictions for GBH and assault.

For Falla, Advocate Liam Roffey said his client recognised the seriousness of the offence and knew he would be going to prison.

Falla’s childhood experiences had played a critical part in his becoming involved in criminal activity, but he did not intend to hide behind them.

He had engaged with the probation service and had been honest and candid over the drugs charges.

Advocate Sara Mallett, for Baker, said that her client had not had any relevant offences since 2011. She was described as ‘a follower’ over the drugs matters, but accepted that her role was more than a basic one. She had no previous drugs convictions.

Wakeford’s advocate Clare Tee said there was no evidence linking him to the most serious injury caused. He apologised for his actions. He had an unenviable record of violence but had changed his friendship group.

Baker, Falla and Wakeford were sentenced to a total of six years and six months, five years and six months, and three years and four months in prison respectively.

Falla and Baker were sentenced to three years for GBH with Falla getting an additional three years six months and Baker, two years six months, for possession with intent to supply.

Falla received three years and six months, concurrent, for importation.

Their sentences were backdated to September 2020 when they were taken into custody.

Wakeford received 12 months for assault, plus three years and three months for importing drugs.

After a brief adjournment, Judge Finch returned alone as a Magistrate’s Court judge and sentenced Wakeford to 21 days’ prison, concurrent, for a public order offence, admitted, in which he had assaulted another man.