Drug smuggler speaks about prison ordeal
A convicted drug smuggler who survived a six-year ordeal in a Japanese jail is turning his life around.
Nick Baker, from Cirencester, has put the dark days of imprisonment in barbaric conditions behind him and is forging ahead with his future.
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Nick Baker
In his first interview since his release, Nick, 38, told the Echo he still suffered from his 'hell' in Fuchu Prison.
He said his experience was still too raw to talk about publicly but, having had huge help from counsellors, that day would come.
Now he is simply focusing on rebuilding his day-to-day life, shaping his career and rebuilding his cherished relationship with his son George.
"Obviously I still have my bad days, but now I'm really motivated," he said.
Yesterday, he started an intensive plumbing course at Gloucestershire College with the ultimate aim of setting up his own business.
He has also taken accountancy exams, qualified to be a part-time football coach with youngsters, and moved house.
The total reversal of fortunes is a far cry from the years of mainly solitary confinement which crippled the former chef mentally and physically as he battled with his loss of identity, starvation and the separation from his son, who was just one when Nick was arrested at Tokyo's Narita Airport in 2002.
He was caught carrying a suitcase containing nearly 1kg of cocaine and 40,000 ecstasy tablets.
Nick was convicted and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment, despite arguing his travelling companion had swapped their cases.
His mum Iris launched a high-profile, tenacious campaign for the Japanese government to recognise her son's basic human rights.
Nick was finally sent back to London's Wandsworth Prison in April 2008 where he served a further six months before being released.
He said sitting in his Japanese cell, he'd managed to focus on what he would do once freed.
"I was in solitary confinement - it gave me a lot of time to think about what I wanted to do," he said. "I'm confident doing manual things and I was sent the manual for the college.
"My mum also sent me accountancy books and I've studied and now gained qualifications.
"When I came out of prison I didn't want to be around people at all. I didn't want to leave the house and didn't even feel comfortable going to the supermarket. I was on edge and felt I was being stared at all the time.
"People knew me and were judging me. I had my ideas with things I wanted to do but every time I tried people shut doors in my face."
Nick said a door opened when the job centre staff put him in touch with Working Links. The employment specialists started him on a MAPS+ course - a toolkit of exercises to increase people's self-esteem.
Now the course has given him a £750 bursary award, which will help pay for his college and equipment.
Nick said: "They helped me understand my situation and change my attitude to myself.
"When my consultant Heather suggested I do the personality exercise I wasn't sure it would be any use to me.
"Seeing the results I could recognise positive characteristics I hadn't really been aware of. I could see my personality was suited to my chosen career as a plumber."
Working Links consultant Heather Paine-Anderson said: "Nick spend most of his incarceration in solitary confinement.
"Whilst this impacted severely on his ability to communicate, to be around others and to retain a sense of who he was, it gave him the opportunity to see the error of his ways and consider the changes he would need to make once released.
"His efforts over the past few months have demonstrated not only his determination but also his versatility."
Nick's mother Iris, 60, said: "You don't get over something like Nick has undergone in a few months - but he's doing all he can to move forward."
14 Comments
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by Juniperzoe
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 2:16PM
“Nick Baker is a liar and an evil man who deserves everything he got in Japan. His companion who he claims switched the suitcase of drugs was my uncle James Prunier who after enduring years of imprisonment and false accusations killed himself in August of 2004. I hope Baker knows I was only a child at the time and therefore never really understood how much of a monster he was. But after much research I have found some of the disgusting things that he said about my uncle and I'm not going to rest until he admits to all the filthy lies that he and his mother told the press.. For example claiming my uncle threatened his family unless he took the drugs: The press can print what they want but none of them actually knew him. Knew his loving personality. He was a brilliant father to two beautiful twin girls who were 16 when they were told their father had killed himself... Everyone knew he had a problem with depression but I have never yet understood why until now nearly eight years later... Eight years of not knowing. Baker is the reason that my family was torn apart. And I wont rest until everyone knows the truth.”
by ahivarn
Thursday, July 28 2011, 6:15PM
“It is sad that this paper idolises him as if he was innocent. Sentences like
"A convicted drug smuggler who survived a six-year ordeal in a Japanese jail is turning his life around.
Nick Baker, from Cirencester, has put the dark days of imprisonment in barbaric conditions behind him and is forging ahead with his future.
Nick was convicted and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment, despite arguing his travelling companion had swapped their cases.
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these suggest that he was innocent.. The truth is far from that. He was going to smuggle drugs into Japan. It is not like he was put in jail without trial or defense attorney. In fact, the owner of the largest English daily of Japan personally supported him and later backed down with much malice and guilt for his step. Read how he suffered due to this guy here http://tinyurl.com/3w7uou7
We should support justice even if they are Japanese and the perpetrators are of our own family. That is the way of a civilised society. This is all I have to say.”
by ob, stroud
Friday, September 18 2009, 3:56AM
“To all those still not sure of his innocence or guilt, I personally know for a fact that he was guilty, and had done it many times already. In fact, the only person not aware of what he was doing (even though he was flashing the cash, as a humble chef) was his mother, and "innocent acquaintances".
And if you then say - well if you knew he was doing it, you;re as guilty as he is - think about, for example, how he actually got singled out when he got caught. It wasn't random.
In the Japanese prision he suffered with the cold - he got frostbite. But as far as suffering with starvation, that's because he was fussy, and spoilt, it wasn't quite 3 star hotel grub. He needed to lose the weight anyway.
With a different attitude, he would not have been in solitary confinement, but would have had the opportunity to learn japanese, a gift under the circumstances.
If he had come clean (against clear and indisputable evidence), said sorry, and shown some remorse when it counted, his sentence would have been much shorter, and his mum would have suffered much less, and his son would have had his dad back much sooner, and in better condition.
Unfortunately I don;t think his mum was told the truth soon enough, ie, before launching a pointless, embarassing campaign, and costly. And because of not coming clean, the advice they got was not to their advantage, and cost him extra time and solitary,
I hope this is a warning to others contemplating couriering.
Having said all that, he's done his time, so good luck to you Nick, you can and will do well, and in time, this will all fade, you;re still young.
The only think I will add, is the trust issue. People will forgive and forget much quicker if they actually hear the truth from you, and that you regret it, as it will start to build trust that you really are trying to make a clean start.”
by Steve, Gloucester
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 6:54PM
“get real lydney.HEAR HEAR ,probably done him the world of good in another Countries prison are prison is to soft”
by get real, lydney
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 2:10PM
“I am fed up with hearing poor old - hard luck stories from convicted criminals - do the crime - do the time! Perhaps hearing how 'sad and hard' things were for this criminal it will deter others from becoming a criminal like him! Pity our prisons werent the same perhaps we would have less re-offenders and our taxes for putting them up would be lessened! Grrr!!!”
by Dee, Forest of Dean
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 1:22PM
“I knew Nick very well for years prior to his arrest, and was shocked when I heard. I don't know any more than anyone else but him whether he was guilty or a victim, but he has served his time, and I am really pleased for the sake of Nick & his family, especially George, that he has been given a chance to get back on his feet, in the same way any other ex prisoner in this country would be.
I send you all the luck in world Nick, all the best for the future.”
by Ray Vaughan, Gloucester
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 11:42AM
“If he's ser ved his time then all the best to him but would you really want your young sons or daughters being football coached by a convicted drug smuggler?”
by bored, glos
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 10:28AM
“I don't think any of us are in a postion to know if he is telling the truth or not.
If he did or didn't do it I wish him well now sounds like he really will live his life to the fullest.
What is the point of sending people to prison if they are still going to be seen as sucm when they are released?”
by Dave B, Cirencester
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 10:19AM
“" .... despite arguing his travelling companion had swapped their cases"
Well, he would say that once he was caught wouldn¿t he.
This bloke is scum ... pure and simple.
Pedalling drugs that will do nothing but harm, and worse to other people while this parasite can benefit financially.
8 years wasn¿t enough.”
by dinophisons, chooooooowwkeres
Tuesday, September 15 2009, 8:41AM
“it has to be said, it's very easy to say the bags were switched once you've been caught. i've no doubt he was guilty but if he's prepared to turn his life around then i feel he should be supported in doing so.
i went on a government scheme to train to be a chippy in the early 90's after a spell of unemployment, that helped me and i've never been out of work since.
this is a case of, you got caught, you did your time, and, most importantly of all, you seem to have learned a great lesson. good luck, don't let yourself down again.”