Former teacher from Bexhill jailed for rape and sexual assault, police say
A former teacher has been jailed for raping and sexually assaulting a child, police said.
Sussex Police said officers seized electronic devices belonging to Steven Hardie, 65, of Woodsgate Park, Bexhill.
They found historic sexual messages between himself and a child, said police.
Police contacted the victim, who is now an adult, who disclosed sexual abuse by Hardie and reported being raped by him on two occasions, police said.
A police spokesperson said: “Hardie was arrested and charged with two counts of rape, four counts of indecent assault and three counts of indecency with a child.
“Following a trial at Lewes Crown Court concluding on August 25, Hardie was found guilty of all but one count of indecency with a child.”
At Brighton Crown Court on October 26, Hardie was jailed for nine years and nine months, given a restraining order against his victims and given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, police said.
Hardie had previously received a police caution for grooming a girl, said police.