Killer’s lies to police after being arrested
THE moment one of Harry Baker’s killers lied to police officers that he had nothing to do with the 17-yearold’s death, claiming it was a “drug deal gone wrong”, was captured in police video.
Footage released yesterday by South Wales Police shows Leon Symons, 22, in the back of a police van being taken to custody shortly after being arrested on suspicion of murder.
Mr Baker was found dead at Barry Intermodal Terminal on August 28, 2019, with stab wounds.
Following a trial at Newport Crown Court, Symons was found guilty of murder and was yesterday sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 28 years. Three of his co-defendants were also sentenced for murder, while another three were sentenced for manslaughter.
In the footage, which was played to the court during the course of the trial, Symons can be seen wearing a forensic bodysuit and is in conversation with an officer, who is recording him with a body worn camera.
During the journey, Symons said: “It was a drug deal gone wrong, literally like. I was selling drugs up Barry like an idiot. These guys came up there asking for us, we went to see someone and the person we saw set up with these two guys.
“If you found two knives at the scene, that was his and if you saw one knife thrown over the thing, I can tell you where the knife is from, the one that killed him and that was Leon Clifford’s. That has his prints all over it.
“I don’t want to be locked up for this, I did not do it, I was there but I did not take part in doing it. I’ll tell you the truth, obviously they’re just trying to get off the case.
“I know I’m going to get years for being at the scene but I’d rather you guys know the whole truth.”
Further on in the conversation, Symons appeared to express remorse about what happened to Mr Baker, but following his conviction for murder this statement now seems hollow and self-serving.
He said: “Every time I close my eyes I can just see him, man, he didn’t deserve it that little kid bro. He did not deserve it, not one bit. He was so young as well, 17. Why was he out here doing that for?
“I don’t care about myself, literally I don’t. I ain’t got nothing out here. It’s all I know anyway. That kid didn’t deserve that.”