Paedophile worked at community repair cafe

IAN Baldock came across to his bosses as an “unassuming, friendly fella”.

- CONOR GOGARTY AND ELLIE GOSLEY

Ian Baldock in the Re:Make Valleys repair shop

The 56-year-old could be a little “quirky” but they reasoned that “kind of goes with the job he was doing”, fixing a wide range of items at a repair cafe in Maerdy, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

On September 25 the shop, Re:Make Valleys, learned his horrifying secret - Baldock was once jailed over his key role in an infamous international network, the “Wonderland Club”, that traded indecent child images. The bar for membership was reportedly being able to provide 10,000 pictures of children being sexually abused. Years later he was imprisoned again after re-offending with a hoard of 93,000 indecent images.

By the morning of September 26 the news had leaked into the close-knit village and 20 to 30 angry locals gathered outside the shop. Ceridwen Street was blocked as they demanded answers over how Baldock had for two years been allowed to work at the popular community hub and interact with children. After police spoke to the crowd they dispersed with no offences committed.

One of the shop's directors, Nova Barton, told us Baldock’s duties involved speaking to those who came in for repairs, including “the odd child bringing in an electric scooter”. He was suspended as soon as Re:Make Valleys learned of his past, said Ms Barton, who added there is “no way he can come back to work”.

Re:Make Valleys did not carry out a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) background check on Baldock when he was hired soon after the launch of the community interest company, which is now reviewing its policies on recruitment and safeguarding. But the episode also raises questions over the adequacy of DBS checks themselves.

As far as his employer knows Baldock’s most recent case was in 2004 and his convictions appear to be spent, which means they would likely not appear on a basic DBS check.