West Berkshire Magistrates' Court: violent Thatcham offender remanded in custody

A NOTORIOUS, violent offender has been remanded in custody facing a potential five-year jail term.

Andrew Harding, who has an appalling record of violence towards men and women, secretly had a woman staying with him, in breach of a court order designed to protect people from him.

Last October Harding was made subject to Thames Valley Police’s first ever Violent Offender Order.

Reading magistrates granted the police request to make the order in respect of the 39-year-old, who was living at Cleveland Grove, Newbury, at the time, under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008.

It followed Harding’s conviction in 2011 for Section 18 Wounding - or wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm - for which he was sentenced to a total of three years and three months’ imprisonment.

The order, designed to run for four years, meant that if Harding reoffended, he could face an additional five years’ imprisonment.

On Saturday, June 19, Harding - now said to be living at Adwood Court, Thatcham - was back in the dock at Reading Magistrates' Court.

He has now admitted four charges of breaching the terms of the order.

The offences were variously scommitted in Thatcham, in Barry in Wales, in Camber Sands in East Sussex and at Ashford in Kent between Saturday, April 17 and Wednesday, May 5.

The charge relating to the woman stated, specifically, that Harding, while subject to the Violent Offender Order, failed to notify the police of new information, namely that he was staying with a female, Samantha Boylan, for a period of seven days or more, and failing to notify authorities, as required, within three days.

Magistrates ruled their powers of punishment would be insufficient.

They therefore declined further jurisdiction and sent the case for sentencing by a judge sitting at Reading Crown Court on a date to be fixed.

Harding, who did not request bail, was meanwhile remanded in custody.