A CONVICTED stalker is posing as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, despite being suspended from the party a year ago.
Chris Hardy claims to be the constituency’s parliamentary candidate for Welsh Labour, delivering leaflets door to door and even having his own website – www.labourchris.com.
His website reads: “Hello! My name’s Chris Hardy and I’m your local Labour Party candidate for the Carmarthen East & Dinefwr Constituency.
“I am a self-funded candidate, which means everything from this website to the leaflets delivered to your door are all created and funded privately by myself, and not through the usual constituency and party fundraising means.
“I’m a 34-year-old single gay man and I’ve lived here in Carmarthenshire since 2012, moving here from Manchester, England. I’d never really considered living here in Wales before, but fancying a change of scenery from city life, I made the move.
“I’ve been causing trouble ever since but in a good way I hope – by being an advocate wherever possible for standing and speaking up for what’s right.”
In February, Hardy was convicted of stalking an 18-year-old man. Hardy had denied the harassment charge.
The jury heard how Hardy had met the victim when he worked at a garage.
The young man told the jury how he quit his job to escape Hardy’s unwanted attentions. But Hardy tracked him down to his home, left unwanted gifts and letters on his car and repeatedly visited, despite being told to stay away by his parents. Hardy continued to try and contact the teenager even after police had arrested him, and at one stage visited his home pretending to be canvassing for the Labour Party.
The victim said he was not gay and had been ‘freaked out’ by Hardy’s pursuit of him. Hardy admitted he had become infatuated with the young man and said he believed he was under pressure from his family to pretend he was straight.
After the jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty, Judge Paul Thomas told Hardy, who represented himself, that he was ‘deluded’ and briefly sent him into custody because he refused to stop talking and listen. Judge Thomas issued a restraining order, preventing Hardy from contacting the victim or his parents by any means. Hardy received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Welsh Labour has reiterated that the party’s candidate in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr is Maria Carroll, who was elected by local party members. The party also stated that Mr Hardy is not and never has been a parliamentary candidate. Whilst disciplinary cases are not discussed, it is understood that Mr Hardy was suspended from Labour party membership in summer 2018, with allegations of criminal behaviour also made.
Despite this, Mr Hardy has handing out leaflets door to door in the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr constituency as recently as March 24.
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