COLIN HARDY'S SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IMAGE SCANDAL IN LEICESTER: THIRD TIME OFFENDER SENT TO PRISON

In a disturbing case that has once again cast a dark shadow over Leicester, Colin Hardy, a 70-year-old resident of Beaumont Lodge Road, Beaumont Leys, was sentenced to prison for possessing indecent images of children. The conviction marks Hardy's third encounter with the law related to child abuse images, highlighting a troubling pattern of offending that has persisted over several years.

Hardy's latest arrest occurred in March of the previous year when police officers, conducting a routine inspection of his computer under the terms of a sexual offences prevention order, uncovered suspiciously deleted files. Despite efforts to erase evidence, investigators managed to recover a total of 26 illicit images that had been accessed as far back as January 2013. These images included some depicting children as young as five and as old as thirteen, categorized as some of the most severe forms of child exploitation material.

During the investigation, officers also discovered nearly 10,000 searches related to child abuse imagery on Hardy’s computer, out of a total of approximately 14,000 searches. The use of specialized software had been employed to delete these files, but forensic analysis successfully retrieved the incriminating content. The severity of the images found was underscored by the fact that two of the most disturbing images involved children aged between five and thirteen.

Prosecutor Alan Murphy detailed Hardy’s criminal history, revealing that he had previously been convicted in 2010 and again in 2012 for similar offences. In 2010, Hardy was sentenced to jail, but in 2012, he received a community sentence. However, he breached the conditions of that sentence, leading to his re-incarceration. This pattern of repeated offending underscores the persistent nature of Hardy’s criminal behavior.

At the time of his latest conviction, Hardy was subject to a sexual offences prevention order, which mandated periodic inspections of his computer. The police’s discovery of the deleted images during one such inspection in March last year was a clear violation of the order. Hardy’s defense argued that he was beginning to recognize the gravity of his actions, noting that his wife had left him and that he was uncertain about her potential return. Nonetheless, the court was unequivocal in its judgment.

Judge Michael Fowler sentenced Hardy to 18 months in prison, emphasizing the seriousness of his obsession and the harm caused by his actions. The judge also ordered Hardy to be placed on the sex offenders register and extended the sexual offences prevention order indefinitely. Additionally, Hardy’s computer and the images recovered from it were seized and ordered to be destroyed, aiming to prevent further harm.

Hardy’s criminal history also includes an earlier conviction from January 2010, when he was sentenced to eight months in prison for downloading and possessing over 1,700 indecent images of children. This earlier case was initiated after Hardy’s son’s girlfriend discovered the images while attempting to fix his computer, leading her to alert the authorities. The images ranged from the least serious category to the most severe, including some printed copies, and reflected a disturbing pattern of viewing and storing child abuse material.

During his interview with police, Hardy admitted to downloading the images but claimed he did not see himself as addicted or fully aware of the severity of his actions. His defense highlighted his naivety and lack of understanding about the exploitation involved, noting that he had previously traveled to Thailand as a sex tourist, though there was no evidence of direct involvement with children abroad. The court, however, recognized the profound harm caused by such images, emphasizing that children worldwide suffer from exploitation and abuse to produce such material, and that ignorance does not mitigate responsibility.