Women beware: court warning as Andrew Harding from Newbury and Thatcham is jailed again
Women should remember this face - because doing so might just save them from a vicious beating.
A man with an appalling history of extreme domestic violence and breaching orders designed to protect his female victims has done it yet again - this time, within weeks of being released from his latest jail stint.
Forty-two-year-old Andrew Harding from the Newbury and Thatcham area has 44 previous convictions, the majority for domestic violence and including offences such as causing grievous bodily harm, breaking court orders, battery and coercive control.
In 2021 Newburytoday reported how a judge warned that Harding posed a “risk of extreme violence" to women and their children.
He was considered such a threat that he was made subject to Thames Valley Police’s first ever Violent Offender Order.
That was imposed following his release from prison for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Even so, he soon broke it, secretly forming intimate relationships with two women.
At the time his defence barrister assured a judge that while Harding, formerly of Cleveland Grove, Newbury, and latterly of Adwood Court in Thatcham, had “ left a trail of victims,” he was now getting counselling.
Following that 2021 case, Judge Heather Nott told Harding: “Your current attitude, taken together with your very troubling history of committing serious violence very quickly into relationships, means you pose a high risk to young women.
"You particularly target women with children and you pose a risk to those women's children."
She added: "You inveigled your way into each of these women's lives...the ongoing risk is plain for all to see.
“The breaches were committed within six months of the start of the four-year order.
"You have a history of disobedience to court orders and you've gone back to your particular pattern of isolating women who meet your particular needs."
Judge Nott sentenced Harding to three years imprisonment, half of which he served in custody and the remainder on licence in the community.
On completing that sentence he reoffended within weeks and on Monday, December 9, he was back in the dock at Reading Crown Court after savagely assaulting his latest girlfriend, Arianne Witter from Newbury.
Becoming jealous after a night out in the town, Harding punched her full in the face, sending her sprawling into a bush and causing injuries so severe they left scarring and affected her hearing.
He then warned her not to go to the police - before punching her full in the face again.
Although she was terrified, the court heard her children alerted authorities on their battered mother’s behalf.
Harding was arrested and gave a “no comment” interview.
He subsequently admitted breaking the Violent Offender Order and assaulting Ms Witter, thereby causing actual bodily harm, in Newbury on Monday, August 12.
Josh Bibby, defending, said there was another side to his client, who liked raising money for charity and who had become a mentor to fellow inmates at HMP Bullingdon in Oxfordshire.
He repeated mitigation from the previous case, stating Harding had received more counselling and had shown “some” remorse for his actions.
Judge Alan Blake remarked that Harding remained a “very high risk to women,” continuing to exhibit traits of “jealousy, control and dominance.”
He observed that a Violent Offender Order was rarely imposed but added that “the need for it was demonstrated within weeks” of his forming a relationship with Ms Witter.
Harding was jailed for 32 months, up to half of which will be served behind bars and the remainder on licence again in the community.
No order was made for costs or compensation but he was ordered to pay a mandatory victim services surcharge.
Finally, Harding was made subject to a seven year restraining order designed to protect his latest victim.
The court heard police are preparing evidence to apply for a Criminal Behaviour Order in respect of Harding, as the Violent Offender Order has expired.
