April 2016

RM Condor serviceman jailed for sex attacks on girl

A disgraced soldier who confessed to a series of sex attacks on a nine-year-old girl has been locked up for three years.

Bombardier Riaan Hardy preyed on the child for more than two months in 2009.

The 35-year-old was only caught last year when the victim told her mum after she noticed her daughter had been self-harming.

Hardy, based at RM Condor near Arbroath, returned to the High Court in Glasgow having earlier admitted using lewd and libidinous behaviour towards the girl.

Lord Kinclaven told him the jail term had been reduced from four and a half years due to the guilty plea.

The judge said a victim statement completed by the girl’s mother had shown the “emotional and physical impact” suffered by her daughter.

Hardy, who is being supported by his partner, showed no emotion as he was led handcuffed to the cells.

The abuse occurred between July 1 and September 3 2009 at a house in Arbroath.

This also involved Hardy making the child watch pornographic material.

The soldier told his victim not to tell anyone.

But in late 2014, the girl, by now a teenager, finally revealed to her mum she had been self-harming because of the torment.

Police spoke to Hardy at his army base and he later went on to make “full and frank admissions”. 

March 2016

Paedophile soldier is behind bars after carrying out series of sex attacks on nine year old girl

A SOLDIER is behind bars after he admitted to a series of sex attacks on a nine-year-old girl.

Bombardier Riaan Hardy preyed on the child for more than two months in 2009.

The 35-year-old was only snared last year after a mother asked her daughter – now a teenager – why she was self-harming and the truth came out.

Hardy, based at RM Condor in Arbroath, yesterday admitted using lewd and libidinous behaviour towards the girl.

The squaddie looked ashen-faced as he was remanded in custody for sentencing next month.

The abuse happened at a house in Arbroath. It also involved Hardy making the child watch pornography.

Frances Connor, defending, said Hardy had an “unblemished” military record, with tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He asked for bail.

But judge Lord Kinclaven told Hardy: “You are convicted of a serious sexual offence against a child. You will be remanded in custody.”