Social worker barred for conning girls into posing topless

A social worker has been barred for conning young women known to the youth offending team he worked for into posing topless.

Christopher Hardman, 55, from Batley, West Yorkshire, sent texts and letters under various false identities to the women – some as young as 16 – asking them to attend lingerie, topless and nude photo shoots in exchange for money.

The women attended Kriklees’ youth offending service, where Hardman was a team leader. He also targeted another woman, aged over 18, who was the daughter of a colleague.

Four service users attended photo shoots

She and four of the service users attended photo shoots arranged by Hardman.

Hardman did not attend a General Social Care Council conduct hearing, held today, to investigate his actions, but admitted a statement of facts and that his actions amounted to misconduct.

‘Abuse of trust’

GSCC chair Rosie Varley said: “People who need social care services have the right to be protected from social workers who seriously abuse the trust placed in them, for the purpose of sexual gratification or for any other purpose. A social worker who abuses this trust should forfeit the privileges which come with registration and be removed from the workforce.”

Hardman resigned from Kirklees in 2007 and has not worked as a social worker since.

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