Uxbridge Man Jailed for Historic Child Sex Abuse
Stephen Hardwicke, 63, from Church Road, Uxbridge, was locked up for five years on Friday, 15 January. Harrow Crown Court sentenced him for five counts of indecent assault spanning decades.
Groomed and Abused Boys in Youth Group
Hardwicke preyed on three boys aged 10 to 18 while a youth leader at Stanmore Baptist Church during the mid-1970s to early 1980s. The victims bravely came forward, with the first complaint made in October 2015. A second victim was identified in 2017 after further police inquiries.
Investigators Praise Victims’ Courage
Detective Constable Nicola Cameron of Edgware Child Abuse Investigation Team led the probe, charging Hardwicke on 26 June 2018. She said:
“Hardwicke took advantage of his young victims’ vulnerability, sexually abusing them on numerous occasions when the opportunities presented themselves.
I would like to praise the victims’ courage in reporting what happened to them to police.
A crime committed over 30 years ago is still a crime. While investigations into non-recent sexual offences can be challenging, we have specially trained officers who will follow up all lines of inquiry, and seek to prosecute when the evidence will support it.”
Justice Served After Lengthy Trial
Hardwicke was found guilty on 25 November 2020 after a nine-day trial at Harrow Crown Court. The sentence serves as a stark reminder that historic abuse will not be forgotten or go unpunished.
