Chesterfield ex-pc Murdered

James Hardy,  31, was found dying at his home in Bradgate Croft, Hasland, in the early hours of Saturday 6th December.

Emergency services were called to his home around 2am on Saturday.

Paramedics were told he was suffering breathing difficulties, but he died at the scene and was later found to have been stabbed in the chest.

Mr.Hardy was a former disgraced Derbyshire Police Officer. Two years previously he has been working at Police HQ in Derby and caught passing on sensitive information.

Police set up a covert surveillance operation as suspicion was that Hardy was abusing  access to the Police National Computer.

In May 2006 they discovered Hardy was intending to pass on the addresses and details of a number of people to Martin Jolley, a former boxer.

Jolley, who had a string of convictions for violence, including one for assaulting a police officer, was involved in arguments with all of the men named.

Hardy admitted a charge of conspiracy to commit misfeasance in public office and was given a 28-week jail term, suspended for two years.

Unusually the Court of Appeal increased the sentence to 9 months’ imprisonment, and Hardy was stripped of 25 per cent of his police pension. Normally courts are extremely lenient on police officers.

Michelle Doherty , of Lawn Villas, Calow, (Hardy’s then girlfriend) ,  27, appeared in Chesterfield Magistrates Court accused of his murder on December 8th.

________________________________________________________________

Chesterfield Magistrates Court

________________________________________________________________

She spoke only to confirm her name and address and did not enter a plea to the murder charge.

There was no application for bail, and she was remanded in custody to appear before a judge at Nottingham Crown Court on December 15.