NIGEL HARDBMAN ESCAPES PRISON IN BLACKPOOL OVER INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN

In August 2014, Nigel Hardman, a former Blackpool limo driver and stage performer, avoided a prison sentence after handing police a USB stick that led to his own arrest. Hardman, 46, who previously performed under the stage name Prince Razaq as a daredevil magician, pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to possessing numerous indecent images of teenage girls.

The court was told that Hardman believed he was assisting officers with an investigation into alleged drug dealing when he turned over a USB containing CCTV footage from outside his home. However, the footage also revealed that he had handed over his collection of 93 indecent images, categorized under a new classification system for severity.

Recorder Nicholas Clarke handed Hardman a nine-month prison sentence, which was suspended for two years, along with a four-month curfew from 8pm to 6am. Hardman is also required to complete an internet sex offenders treatment program, is subject to a 10-year sex offenders prevention order, and must register as a sex offender for five years.

This followed earlier reports in July 2014, when it was revealed that Hardman, who also performed as a fire-eating magician, had accidentally provided police with evidence containing child abuse images. He had initially agreed to hand over CCTV footage to help with a drug investigation, but police discovered that alongside the footage, there was an indecent image of a child stored on his USB device.

Hardman initially claimed the photo belonged to someone else, suggesting his ex-wife had access to his computer. However, a search of his other electronic devices uncovered 93 indecent images, leading Hardman to admit he had saved them. He explained he used search terms like “schoolgirl” but claimed he attempted to filter out images of underage children, insisting the images he viewed were of actresses pretending to be younger.

Prosecutor Paul Cummings told Preston Crown Court, “(During his police interview) he was maintaining the view that what he was looking at were legal images of people over 18. When the allegation was put to him that they were clearly images of children he began to seek legal advice.”

Hardman, who once won a talent contest on Channel 4’s Big Breakfast for escaping a straitjacket while on a bed of nails, had no previous sex offence convictions. His past included benefits fraud—claiming he was too ill to work while performing dangerous entertainment acts—before he adopted the persona of Prince Razaq, dressing as an Eastern fakir complete with robes, turban, and sandals.

He also ran a limousine hire business, which ended following his separation from his wife. Hardman pleaded guilty to 11 counts of making indecent photographs and two counts of possessing indecent photographs. His sentencing was scheduled for August 1.