Man killed himself after paedophile group sting

A coroner criticised paedophile hunters after a gardener committed suicide when he was publicly shamed.

David Baker was lured to a car park after exchanging messages with what he thought was a 14-year-old boy, only to be confronted by Stephen Dure and his group TRAP. The group posted a video on Facebook of the 43-year-old being challenged about his plans to meet the boy for sex.

After being arrested and released by police, Mr Baker went home to Wickham, Hants, where he took an overdose on Oct 7. Recording a suicide verdict, coroner Grahame Short said the video led to his family fleeing their home and added to Mr Baker’s stress.