Allan Baker

Case overview

Allan Baker was convicted with Kevin Crump for the murder of Ian James Lamb and for offences connected to the abduction, rape, and intended murder of Virginia Morse.

Timeline

• 3 November 1973 — Kevin Crump and Allan Baker used a .308 rifle to murder Ian James Lamb, 43, who was sleeping in his car next to the road to save accommodation costs while he was in the area to look for seasonal work.
• 13 November 1973 — Ten days after the murder of Ian James Lamb, the pair headed towards the Hunter Region intending to commit a burglary; after their stolen vehicle was spotted near Maitland, they fled, leading to a high-speed chase and their arrest after they were found in a nearby river three hours later.
• 1997 — Allan Baker challenged NSW legislation passed to ensure both men would remain incarcerated for the rest of their lives; Kevin Crump had his sentence set at a minimum of 30 years in 1997 and later had three parole applications rejected.
• October 2004 — Allan Baker lost his challenge in the High Court of Australia, which ruled on the legitimacy of the NSW Parliament’s sentencing laws with respect to life imprisonment.
• May 2012 — The High Court ruled that Kevin Crump had no grounds to appeal the law keeping him in jail until he is physically incapacitated or close to death.

The offence

On 3 November 1973, Kevin Crump and Allan Baker used a .308 rifle to murder Ian James Lamb, 43. He had been sleeping in his car next to the road to save accommodation costs while he was in the area to look for seasonal work. The murder appeared to be a thrill killing because the pair did not know Lamb.

Three days later, they camped near the home of Brian and Virginia Morse in Collarenebri, where one of the men had previously worked for as a migrant farm labourer. After watching the house for two days, they abducted Virginia Morse, 35, when her husband and their three children left the property.

The men drove via back roads towards Queensland, stopping at hotels and garages along the way. They bought beer and petrol with the $30 they had stolen from the Morse homestead. They drove mainly at night to avoid detection. During the journey, Morse sobbed and pleaded for her life.

They stopped south of the Queensland border, tied Virginia Morse to a tree, and took turns raping her repeatedly. They then threw her back in the car and continued their journey.

When they stopped by the Weir River near Moonie, they again tied Virginia Morse to a tree. They raped and tortured her repeatedly, and then one of the men shot her between the eyes in an execution-style killing. They rolled her body into the river, burnt her clothes, and drove back to their campsite.

Investigation and arrest

On November 13, ten days after Ian James Lamb’s murder, Crump and Baker headed towards the Hunter Region, intending to commit a burglary. After their stolen vehicle was spotted near Maitland, they fled.

A police vehicle responding to the attempted burglary intercepted their vehicle en route and a high speed chase ensued. The police car was rammed off the road, and the chase was taken up by a second police unit.

A police officer in the second vehicle was seriously injured when the fugitives shot him in the face. The chase culminated at a police roadblock at Woodville, after which the pair took to foot, shooting at police as they fled into the bush.

An intensive ground and air search followed. The two men were eventually arrested in a nearby river three hours later.

Trial

After their capture, Crump tried to evade responsibility for Virginia Morse’s murder in his police statement. He said:

"I was forced to kill Mrs. Morse by Baker, because he wanted me to be in as deep as him. He said he was going to kill me if I didn't. I admit that I was prepared to kidnap Mrs. Morse and even to sleep with her, but once again, as with Mr. Lamb, I did not want to be a part of her death...It was a choice of either me or Mrs. Morse."

Although there was compelling evidence that Crump had murdered Virginia Morse, he was not charged with the murder because she had been murdered in Queensland, outside the jurisdiction of the Government of New South Wales. Instead, Crump was charged with the murder of Ian James Lamb and with rape and conspiracy to murder Virginia Morse.

At their trial, Crump and Baker pleaded not guilty to four charges: murdering Ian James Lamb, conspiracy to murder Virginia Morse, maliciously wounding a police officer with intent to prevent lawful apprehension, and shooting at police with intent to prevent lawful apprehension.

The jury took one hour and forty-five minutes to convict Baker and Crump on all charges. Baker showed no emotion at the verdict, while Crump appeared to stare at the floor and shudder.

Details of the torture Virginia Morse endured at the hands of Baker and Crump were suppressed during the trial because the information was deemed too graphic and disturbing for the public.

Sentencing

Mr. Justice Taylor sentenced both men to life imprisonment plus 55 years.

The judge said:

"You have outraged all accepted standards of the behaviour of men. The description of 'men' ill becomes you. You would be more aptly described as animals, and obscene animals at that. I believe that you should spend the rest of your lives in jail and there you should die. If ever there was a case where life imprisonment should mean what it says— imprisonment for the whole of your lives— this is it."[this quote needs a citation]

Appeals and further proceedings

In 1997, the NSW government passed legislation intended to ensure both Baker and Crump would remain incarcerated for the rest of their lives. Allan Baker challenged this legislation in the High Court of Australia.

In October 2004, Baker lost his challenge. The High Court ruled on the legitimacy of the NSW Parliament's sentencing laws with respect to life imprisonment.

Kevin Crump had his sentence set at a minimum of 30 years in 1997, and he had three parole applications rejected.

In May 2012, the High Court ruled that Crump had no grounds to appeal the law keeping him in jail until he is physically incapacitated or close to death.

People involved

• Allan Baker — convicted defendant.
• Kevin Crump — convicted defendant; made a police statement attempting to shift responsibility for Virginia Morse’s murder.
• Ian James Lamb, 43 — victim; was murdered on 3 November 1973 while sleeping in his car.
• Virginia Morse, 35 — abducted victim; was raped and tortured and then shot between the eyes; body was rolled into the river and her clothes were burnt.
• Brian and Virginia Morse — Brian was Virginia’s husband; both are named in connection with their home.
• Three children — children of Virginia Morse and Brian Morse; they left the property when Virginia was abducted.
• Police officers — at least one police officer was seriously injured when shot in the face during the chase; the police pursued the pair and set up a roadblock at Woodville.
• Mr. Justice Taylor — sentenced the men.

Other details

The journey included stops at hotels and garages, and the men bought beer and petrol with the $30 stolen from the Morse homestead. The men drove mainly at night to avoid detection.