The Nine Network is removing footage from a 60 Minutes episode in which an actor recently convicted of domestic violence portrayed a knife-wielding rapist in a re-enactment.
Joel Aaron Baker boasted on social media earlier this month about his role on Nine’s flagship current affairs program, which screened 10 days after he was found guilty of a domestic violence offence.
The June 8 edition of 60 Minutes featured a report by Tara Brown about Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in the 2007 disappearance in Portugal of British toddler Madeleine McCann.
Brown had interviewed Irish woman Hazel Behan, who claimed she was raped by Brueckner in 2004, and the program featured a re-enactment of that alleged attack.
Baker portrayed a balaclava-clad Brueckner, dressed all in black and carrying a hunting knife, as he tormented a terrified Ms Behan.
What 60 Minutes viewers did not know was that on May 29, just 10 days before the program screened, he had faced a magistrate at Sutherland Local Court.
On that day Baker was cleared of assaulting his wife but convicted of another domestic violence-related offence – destroying or damaging property.
The destroy or damage property charge stemmed from an incident which occurred at the former couple’s marital home last year.
The Nine Network is removing footage from a 60 Minutes episode in which actor Joel Aaron Baker, who was recently convicted of domestic violence, portrayed a knife-wielding rapist in a re-enactment. Baker is pictured
Baker was placed on a 12-month conditional release order and made the subject of a two-year apprehended violence order protecting his wife, and is prohibited from going within 50m of her home or workplace.
The 36-year-old, from Sylvania Waters in Sydney’s south, split from his wife in October last year and is only allowed to contact her through a lawyer.
As part of the conditional release order, Baker must comply with a treatment plan and take part in a domestic violence program under the supervision of a community corrections officer.
Two months earlier at the same court Baker had seven other domestic violence-related common assault charges dismissed after being found not guilty.
A day after the 60 Minutes episode was aired, Baker posted on Facebook and Instagram about his latest acting experience.
‘A small acting job I got to do for a re-enactment on last night’s episode of 60 Minutes on Channel 9,’ he wrote.
‘Warning: It’s not a nice topic related to the Madeline McCann case, but you can see the full story on @9now.’
Promoting himself for playing a man perpetrating violence against a woman so soon after his conviction has appalled Baker’s wife’s family.
A day after the 60 Minutes episode was aired, Baker posted on Facebook about his latest acting experience
‘What has caused our family even more distress is Joel’s immediate public sharing of the 60 Minutes segment via his social media, seemingly celebrating his appearance despite the deeply concerning nature of his personal conduct,’ one relative said.
A Nine spokesman said the network had not known about Baker’s criminal conviction and the June 8 episode would be edited.
‘Actors sourced for re-enactments are provided through a talent agency,’ he said.
‘We were not made aware of these claims and we are now in the process of removing the footage from the story on online episodes.’
Baker describes himself as an actor, model, DJ and ‘digital creator’, but until three years ago he was the manager of a McDonald’s outlet.
A post on Baker’s Instagram account about his 60 Minutes appearance featured footage of his performance.
One of his followers responded to that harrowing clip with the remark, ‘The old smash and dash’, to which Baker replied: ‘F*** heavy…. and yet you wouldn’t let me the other day’.
Baker (far left) appeared as an Australian prisoner of the Japanese in four episodes of the critically acclaimed World War II television miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North
Baker portrayed a balaclava-clad Brueckner, dressed all in black and carrying a hunting knife, as he tormented a terrified Hazel Behan, who claimed she was raped by Christian Brueckner
Baker appeared as an Australian prisoner of the Japanese in four episodes of the recent critically acclaimed World War II television miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
He has also been seen as one of the notorious ‘River Boys’ being arrested on Home and Away as well as in NCIS: Sydney, Strife and Last King of the Cross.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Baker for comment.
