Former Toowoomba Journalist Jailed for Sickening Child Assault at Busy Pub: ‘Brazen’ Attack Caught on CCTV
- Peter Hardwick, 65, a former journalist with the Toowoomba Chronicle, faces six months in prison for indecently treating a child under 12
- The shocking incident occurred at a Townsville pub in March 2024, where Hardwick groped an 11-year-old girl’s buttocks not once, but TWICE
- The convicted paedophile was described by the Crown as having committed “serious” and “brazen” offences, given the child was a complete stranger to him
Peter Hardwick, a respected journalist with nearly four decades of experience, has been sentenced to six months in prison for sexually assaulting a child at a busy Townsville pub. The 65-year-old former Toowoomba Chronicle reporter pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent treatment of a child under the age of 12.
In a disturbing incident that took place on March 2, 2024, at the Seaview Hotel, Hardwick was caught on CCTV approaching an 11-year-old girl who was gazing at a fish tank with two other children. Wearing a hat, blue shirt, and shorts, Hardwick reached out with his left hand and touched the girl on the buttocks, before exiting the frame.
The young victim was visibly concerned and can be seen talking to the other children about the incident. In a shocking move, Hardwick returned to the scene just 30 seconds later, and again approached the children, this time touching the girl on the backside with an open hand.
The girl’s parents were alerted to Hardwick’s behaviour, and they complained to hotel staff, who were able to identify the then-63-year-old using the CCTV footage and contacted police. In a crushing blow to the community, Hardwick’s defence counsel, David Jones KC, submitted that his client’s actions were “low level” and occurred while he was in a “severely intoxicated state”.
In sentencing, Judge Tony Moynihan KC acknowledged Hardwick’s early guilty plea and expression of remorse, but stated that the child in question suffered harm and had been adversely affected by the incident. “Your alcohol use or abuse at the time might proffer some explanation, but it is in no way an excuse for your conduct,” Judge Moynihan said. “[Your sentence] must make it clear that the community and the court denounces this sort of conduct.”
Hardwick was sentenced to six months imprisonment on both counts, to be served concurrently and suspended immediately. The court’s decision sends a strong message to the community that such heinous acts will not be tolerated, and those who commit them will be held accountable.