Greater Manchester Police detective who sexually abused child jailed

Stephen Hardy treated his victim "like a puppet or sex object"

A detective who subjected a child to "sickening sexual abuse" from the age of 12, including raping them, has been jailed for 26 years.

Stephen Hardy, of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), was convicted of 20 sexual abuse offences including six counts of rape.

The 46-year-old did not show "one iota of remorse" for his behaviour, the sentencing judge said.

He had denied carrying out the offences between December 2012 and June 2020.

The officer was convicted following a four-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones told Hardy he had treated his victim "like a puppet or sex object" and had held a spell over them.

He ruled Hardy, who worked in the Stockport area, was a dangerous offender and imposed an extended six year licence.

'Sinister streak'

The judge said: "You have never shown one iota of remorse for your behaviour.

"The indictment reflects a highly calculated and cynical course of grooming behaviour."

He described Hardy as having a "devious" personality with a "sinister streak".

He added: "You were of course, previously, of good character. You have been a long-serving police officer.

"That is a career which will now inevitably end."

The judge added: "You would have been well aware of the widespread and lasting trauma that victims of sexual abuse suffer and yet you gave no thought to that and that is an aggravating factor."

Vanessa Thomson, prosecuting, said the victim, who sat in court with family members, reported the abuse to police in 2020.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said the abuse had permanently affected their mental health and left them scared for the future.

It had also left them with a "deep fear of authority figures, despite overcoming that fear to report these crimes".

Laura Nash, defending, said Hardy, of Hyde Road, Mottram, continued to deny all the offences.

She said he would "inevitably" find his prison sentence "harder than most" because he was a police officer.

GMP said now criminal proceedings had concluded gross misconduct proceedings would take place.

Head of GMP's Professional Standards Branch, Det Ch Supt Mike Allen, said: "Given Hardy contested the indictment he faced at the crown court, we were unable to proceed with hearing such matters within the regulated police disciplinary system.

"He was nevertheless suspended from GMP.

"Now that Hardy has been convicted, he will face disciplinary proceedings, and as the public would rightly expect, he will not be paid a wage by GMP during the time it takes for his case to be heard."

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