Mr Hardman has been jailed for 5 years after being found guilty of abusing young boys over a thirteen-year period. The Prosecutor stated that he abused boys between 13 and 17 in the officer’s mess when they were being fitted for a uniform and he attempted to make them feel special.

The Sheriff said Hardman was “abhorrent and depraved”. During the Trial victims were visually upset recalling the events. It came out that he gave the young boys alcohol and shows them pornographic magazines. The case was heard in the Sheriff court after deletions to the charge sheet. He was ultimately found guilty of two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour and two of indecent assault by a jury. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment and Mr Hardman was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.