Barry Robert Baker Jr., 29, was sentenced Wednesday for assaulting a cerebral palsy sufferer, 22, back in May
A veteran grave robber who imitated a cerebral palsy sufferer then socked him across the face has been sentenced.
Barry Robert Baker Jr., 29, sobbed in court Wednesday as he received three to six years for the sickening May 10 assault against an innocent individual, 22, outside a 7-Eleven convenience store in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Baker pleaded guilty in September to assault and flight to avoid apprehension, which the state generally gives ‘three and 14 months incarceration’ for assault and ‘six months probation’ for flight,’ according to the Daily Local.
Judge William P. Mahon felt the harsher sentence was more than appropriate for Baker – who also pleaded guilty in 2007 to robbing marked graves of veterans.
He violated his probation back in 2015 as well, after being convicted of theft from a motor vehicle.
During the 2 1/2 hour meeting Wednesday, Judge William P. Mahon said in his 18 years on the bench, he’d ‘never had someone misrepresent’ him and ‘be caught doing it’ as horrendously as Baker.
‘You are a bully. You are a predator. You are a coward. I have never had such tangible evidence of someone’s moral compass being so askew,’ Mahon went on to say.
Baker was filmed on surveillance at the time outside the convenience store mocking the young man as he was simply walking back to his vehicle.
Out of the blue, Baker approached him and sucker punched him – then walked away without a flinch.
Baker was filmed on surveillance outside the convenience store mocking the young man as he was simply walking back to his vehicle
The sickening incident took place outside a 7-Eleven convenience store in West Chester, Pennsylvania
Baker said he was ‘drunk’ that night and claimed he mistook the man for another he got into an altercation with earlier
The heartbreaking attack happened to the victim, who the Daily Mail has chosen not to name, around 2:15 am that morning.
The man fell onto the hood of his car and could be seen gripping his face in pain.
Baker fled from police after the victim called for help. Eventually, he was tracked down and located at a hotel in Exton.
Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said at the time ‘every decent citizen should be outraged’ by the defendants repulsive actions.
Out of the blue, Baker approached him and sucker punched him – then walked away without a flinch
The heartbreaking attack happened to the victim, who the Daily Mail has not named, around 2:15 am that May morning
‘The victim is to be commended for keeping his cool and notifying the police,’ Hogan told CBS’s Pennsylvania affiliate KYW-TV.
Baker said during his sentencing: ‘I want my life back. This will affect me for the rest of my life. I just want a chance to rebuild it … I want this behind me.’
His attorney, Thomas Purl, said his client is ‘very remorseful’ for his crimes. He was apparently drunk at the time, and claimed he mistook the victim for a man he had gotten into an altercation with prior.
‘He doesn’t go around hitting people. He’s had a very traumatized time.’
It seems the attacker grew up in a ‘dysfunctional’ home and he lost his mother when he was younger to a drug overdose.
Baker’s father suffered severe substance abuse throughout his life, Purl announced in court.
Baker now has one month to appeal to his sentence.
‘I think the defendant has proven himself to be a menace to society,’ Assistant District Attorney, Cynthia Morgan.
The man fell onto the hood of his car and could be seen gripping his face in pain