Caroline Baker

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“Red Lion Chambers is noted for its "incredible depth of counsel" with members appearing for both the prosecution and defence across the full spectrum of serious crime.”
Legal 500 (2026)

Personal profile

Caroline is a highly regarded junior with a broad serious-crime practice, regularly instructed in complex, multi-handed and sensitive cases.

She prosecutes and defends across serious violence, organised crime, sexual offending and drugs trafficking, with particular experience in cases involving extensive digital material, disclosure issues and expert evidence.

In recent years she has acted in matters involving firearms, large-scale robbery conspiracies, Class A drug supply, kidnapping, commercial burglaries and both domestic and international sexual offences. She has experience in international law, including work relating to the investigation and analysis of historic war crimes and human rights abuses, with a particular focus on allegations of sexual violence.

She is a clear and effective jury advocate, known for her calm and measured approach, and is regularly instructed in cases involving vulnerable witnesses and defendants.

Serious & Organised Crime

Featured cases

R v E and others (2026) – led junior: Instructed for the prosecution in a multi-handed conspiracy to commit robbery involving coordinated attacks arranged through social media platforms. The case involved numerous incidents across London. Evidence included extensive mobile telephone downloads, call data records, and social media communications requiring detailed attribution analysis.

R v A and others (2026) – junior alone: Defended a defendant charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, arising from a long-running and highly charged neighbour dispute.

R v L and others (2026) – led junior: Defending in a major organised crime prosecution alleging that the defendant directed multiple cross-county firearms manufacturing operations from abroad.

R v K and others (2025) – led junior: Defended in a multi-handed people-trafficking prosecution involving the organised movement of individuals into the UK in HGVs and their subsequent placement in cannabis farms. The case relied heavily on surveillance observations and associated telephone evidence.

R v V and others (2025) – junior alone: Prosecuted in a case concerning the large-scale supply of crack cocaine and heroin in the London Borough of Newham using sophisticated operational methods to avoid detection. Throughput of Class A throughout the conspiracy estimated to be in excess of 120kg

R v C and others (2025) – led junior: Defended in a multi-handed conspiracy to commit commercial burglary involving a series of high-value targeted premises. The prosecution alleged a coordinated operation in which numerous items were stolen, including artwork valued at approximately £1.6 million and a consignment of face masks worth in excess of £500,000, intended for NHS use during the pandemic

R v S and others (2025)– Instructed in a case concerning the large-scale supply of crack cocaine and heroin in the London Borough of Newham using sophisticated operational methods to avoid detection. Throughput of Class A throughout the conspiracy estimated to be in excess of 120kg.

R v A and others (2025)– Instructed to prosecute an OCG involved in use of firearms and drug trafficking in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

R v V and others (2024)- Instructed in a case arising out of the NCA’s investigation into the encrypted messaging system EncroChat. Involved the importation and distribution of significant quantities of Class A drugs, conspiracy to commit GBH and money laundering.

R v M (2024)- Commercial scale production of cannabis relying on a defence under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 based on their status as victims of trafficking from Eastern Europe.

R v L (2024)- Sophisticated theft of over £500k worth of jewellery from a Hatton Garden jeweller.

Serious Violence

Featured cases

R v B (2025) – junior alone: Instructed in a case involving arson with intent to endanger life committed in a domestic context by a husband intending to kill his wife during the Coronavirus lockdown.
R v M and H (2023) – junior alone: Independent review of material held by the Independent Office for Police Conduct in relation to a defendant in criminal proceedings who was shot in the back while fleeing from the police.
R v K (2023) – junior alone: Defended in a case in which three co-defendants were alleged to have kidnapped a man said to have raped a member of their family, subjected him to a sustained and serious assault, and then transported and abandoned him.
R v M and H – junior alone: Independent review of material held by the Independent Office for Police Conduct in relation to a defendant in criminal proceedings who was shot in the back while fleeing from the police.
R v T and others – junior alone: Stabbing of a teenager arising out of a county lines drug dispute.
R v B – junior alone: Arson with intent to endanger life committed in a domestic context by a husband intending to kill his wife during the Coronavirus lockdown.
R v C – junior alone: Section 18 in which a vulnerable woman with significant mental health issues is said to have stabbed her partner in the neck with a broken bottle.

Sexual Offences

Featured cases

R v S (2026) – led junior: Prosecuted a historic sexual abuse case concerning offences committed by a former teacher at a children’s care home in the 1970s. The defendant abused abused his position of trust to target vulnerable boys placed in care, including grooming one complainant with gifts and abusing another while he slept.
R v A (2026) – junior alone: Instructed in a historic case arising from allegations dating back to the 1990s, in which the defendant was identified and charged following a subsequent DNA match. The indictment includes allegations of kidnapping, false imprisonment and multiple rapes said to have been committed against vulnerable women.
R v G (2026) – junior alone: Defended a 20-year-old accused of grooming and having sexual activity with a child.
R v H (2025) – led junior: Prosecuted in a case concerning the organisation and facilitation of child sexual offending in the Philippines by a UK-based defendant. The case involved extensive digital material and evidence from specialist taskforces and overseas law-enforcement agencies.
R v H (2025) – led junior: Defended in a county lines case involving the retaliatory kidnapping and prolonged detention of a child over several days. During that period she was subjected to repeated assaults, including allegations of rape and gang rape. The case combined serious sexual offending with organised drug activity and retaliatory violence.
R v K (2025) – junior alone: Defended a 92 year-old defendant charged with historic sexual abuse alleged to have been committed against a relative approximately 50 years earlier.
R v D (2025) – junior alone: Defended in a multi-count indictment involving allegations of rape, assault by penetration, voyeurism and the production of indecent images. The complainant’s evidence was given under s.28 YJCEA. The case involved the cross-examination of child witnesses, contested applications under ss.41 YJCEA and 78 PACE, and issues arising from digital and forensic evidence, including expert material.
R v A – junior alone: Assault by penetration said to have been committed at a care home for vulnerable adults, against a young female employee.

International

Caroline has extensive experience investigating crimes against humanity, war crimes and human rights violations. She has worked alongside a multi-disciplinary team of experts in the field, including psychiatrists, survivors, and senior investigators. She has particular expertise dealing with unlawful detentions, sexual violence and torture perpetrated by the army, police and security services. She spent much of 2023 in Ukraine working for a foundation engaged with advising the Office of the Prosecutor General on the effective investigation and prosecution of conflict related sexual violence.

Prior to her work in Ukraine, she worked on investigations concerning alleged crimes against humanity in the Sri Lankan context, including sexual violence, unlawful detention and torture.