Matthew Hardy is a criminal who is a British cyberstalker who pleaded guilty to harassing women online. He used various social media platforms to send threatening messages and explicit images to his victims, causing them extreme distress and fear for their safety.
He was eventually caught and charged with multiple counts of cyberstalking and harassment. He is believed to have affected 63 victims over eleven years. His guilty plea earned him a prison sentence, where he will hopefully receive the help he needs to address his dangerous behavior.
Hardy is the main topic of The Guardian’s podcast series ‘Can I Tell You a Secret’. The series hosted by reporter Sirin Kale, delves into Hardy’s reasons for committing crimes and the effects it had on those he harmed. Esquire recognized the podcast as one of the top ones in 2023. Netflix released its documents version whose synopsis read as,
“Three women’s lives are changed forever when a prolific stalker infiltrates their social media accounts. And they’re only a fraction of his many victims.”
Where Is Matthew Hardy Now In 2024?
The UK’s harshest term for a cyber stalker was imposed on Matthew Hardy, nine years in prison. At the time, Hardy is serving the longest sentence ever given for online stalking in the UK.
His lawyer contended that the punishment was disproportionate due to his Asperger syndrome, which prevented him from comprehending how his acts affected his victims. On appeal, the sentence was lowered to eight years.
Matthew Hardy Early Life & Bio
Matthew Hardy started stalking in 2009 when he was still in school. He chose his schoolmates as victims by creating fake profiles on social media to befriend them. Sometimes he would even pretend to be their friends or family members, and in some cases, spread rumors about them.
As time went on, Hardy’s behavior escalated. He began following his victims in person, showing up at their homes uninvited and even lurking outside their classrooms.
His obsession with his victims grew stronger, and he would go to great lengths to maintain control over them. In 2022, Sirin Kale covered the case in-depth for G2 and later on for the Guardian in a six-part podcast series. His actions were noticed and he faced serious consequences for his dangerous and manipulative behavior.
Can I Tell You a Secret Documentary
The focus of the two-part documentary is on three of the several women that Hardy preyed on. When they began receiving messages from a confiding stranger, who appeared to be female and whose gambit was often the line that gives the series its title, Abby, Zoe, and Lia—whose 700 pages of meticulous records of his poisonous communications with her and her friends, family, and colleagues.
This is when the harassment would start, Matthew began creating fake profiles to send sexual content to fathers of their friends or posing as people met on holiday to message their boyfriends, spread rumors, and create conflict.
Hardy’s interactions with his targets became more aggressive and frightening over time. The documentary effectively presents the key details and important moments of a complex case, showing how Hardy infiltrated people’s thoughts and actions, ultimately restricting their freedom. Hardy’s destructive actions are depicted in a comprehensive way, highlighting the impact he had on those involved.
Read also: Who Was Louise Cowell, Serial Killer Ted Bundy’s Mother?
Lesser Known Trivia About Matthew Hardy
- Matthew Hardy has been arrested ten times and voluntarily questioned three times.
- He pleaded guilty to hacking the Facebook account of a former schoolmate and impersonating her, in October 2011.
- He received a prohibition order, a suspended prison sentence and 250 hours of community service.
- In 2013, he pleaded guilty to harassment and hacking of another schoolmate.
- Matthew Hardy is 41 years old, as of 2024.
