Justice was done after 16 years when a rapist was sentenced to life in prison on Friday, according to his victim’s son.

Wendell Baker, 56, of Upper Walthamstow Road, Walthamstow, was jailed for life on Friday after being brought to justice for raping then-66-year-old Hazel Backwell in her Stratford home in 1997.

In passing the sentence Judge Peter Rook QC said Baker had committed a crime of extreme violence and depravity.

In a statement read on behalf of David Backwell, Mrs Backwell’s son, Detective Sergeant Susan Farmer said: “Today is a good day for our family but it will always be tinged with sadness.”

“A little over 16 years ago my mother’s life changed in an unimaginable way,” it added.

“She was subjected to a violent and depraved attack which completely ruined her life.

Mrs Backwell, a mother-of-one who had moved from Exter to London in 1955, later moved into a warden assisted flat which her son claims began her demise.

She died in 2002, and case files were later lost, hampering the case’s progress.

However ‘double jeopardy’ laws introduced in 2005 allowed a retrial following a judge ruling out crucial DNA evidence in a 1999 trial that saw Baker walk free.

The statement continued: “My mother sadly passed away lonely, with a broken heart and a shadow of her former self and was never able to see the man who caused her so much pain jailed for what he did.

“My mother felt as if she had been raped a second time when Wendell Baker was first acquitted.
“Today Baker is no longer able to walk the street a free man and will have to face the stark reality of his actions.

“Justice has definitely been served today.”

Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Burgess added: “This has been an extremely complex and difficult case to bring before the court and we welcome the lengthy sentence that has been handed down today.”

Baker was jailed for a minimum term of ten-and-a-half years.

He beat and raped Mrs Backwell before locking her in a cupboard where she remained for 15 hours until a friend happened upon her.

Judge Rook added: “Short of a case where the victim is actually murdered or caused life-threatening injuries, it is hard to think of a more serious example of a case where a person has been raped in their own home.

“At the very least you were reckless as to whether Hazel Backwell would be found in time to save her life.

“I have no doubt that a life sentence is justified.”