TONY ARDENER FROM PETERBOROUGH JAILED FOR SEX TEXTS INVOLVING 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL

In April 2006, a disturbing case unfolded in Peterborough involving a 26-year-old primary school teacher named Tony Ardener, who was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison after engaging in a series of inappropriate and predatory communications with a young girl. Ardener, a resident of Orton Goldhay, was found guilty of sending over 100 text messages to a 12-year-old girl during the Christmas and New Year period of 2004, in an attempt to persuade her to engage in sexual activity.

During the trial at Peterborough Crown Court, Ardener faced two counts of inciting a girl under the age of 13 to participate in sexual acts. He denied these charges, claiming that he was not a paedophile but rather a fool who did not genuinely intend to act on the sexual fantasies expressed in the texts. Despite his defense's arguments, the jury took only two hours to reach a unanimous verdict of guilt on both counts in February.

Judge Nicholas Coleman, presiding over the case, delivered the sentence on a Friday, emphasizing the gravity of Ardener’s actions. He stated, “I accept that you are essentially a person with a lot of good in him. I also accept the consequences to you, a person who set his heart on being a teacher, are devastating. But she was a highly vulnerable young girl and you knew her well. You were trained in child protection but you encouraged the sexual discourse between you. In my judgement, it was clearly for your own sexual gratification.”

As a result, Ardener was sentenced to four years imprisonment for the first count and three years for the second, to be served concurrently. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender and was explicitly told by Judge Coleman that he would never be permitted to work with children again.

During the trial, Hugh Vass, Ardener’s defense lawyer, described the incident as “one week of madness,” suggesting that Ardener’s actions were a momentary lapse. Vass argued that Ardener was “extremely immature for someone who has made it as a teacher,” and that he had an “inability to grasp reality,” which contributed to his failure to accept a caution offered to him prior to the trial. Nonetheless, the court’s verdict and subsequent sentencing reflect the serious nature of the case and the breach of trust involved in this disturbing episode in Peterborough.