ALLEN HARDMAN CAUGHT IN BURY BY PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS AFTER PLOTTING TO MEET UNDERAGE GIRLS
In a significant case that highlights the ongoing efforts to combat online grooming and sexual predation, Allen Vincent Hardman of Bury found himself at the center of a police and community-led sting operation.The incident unfolded in March 2019, when Hardman believed he was communicating with two young girls, aged 12 and 14, with the intent of engaging in sexual activities.
Hardman had arranged to meet the girls after engaging in sexually explicit conversations with them online.
According to court records, he told one of the girls that he planned to smoke cannabis, purchase alcohol, and then spend time alone with her in the woods.
These conversations took place in the context of a predatory attempt to lure the minors into a meeting for sexual purposes.
Unbeknownst to Hardman, the girls he believed he was talking to were not real children but members of a paedophile hunting team called ‘No more silent voices’.
These volunteers pose online as children to catch predators like Hardman in the act.
The team had arranged to meet him at the designated location where he believed he would find the girls.
When Hardman arrived at the meeting point, the team members confronted him and questioned him about his online activities and intentions.
The police were promptly called to the scene, and Hardman was arrested on the spot.
He was taken into custody and spent the following six months on remand, awaiting trial.
At Manchester Crown Court, Hardman appeared to face justice for his actions.
The court sentenced him to a community order that will last for three years.
As part of his sentence, he was also required to participate in a 30-day rehabilitation activity program aimed at addressing underlying issues related to his behavior.
Additionally, Hardman was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work, emphasizing the seriousness of his offense.
A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was also imposed, restricting his activities and requiring him to register as a sex offender for a period of five years.
This case underscores the importance of community vigilance and the ongoing efforts of specialized teams to protect vulnerable minors from online predators.
