'Psychotic' Kidderminster killer who beat up patient goes free

Karl Hardwick walked out of prison where he was a remand prisoner and will now live with his dad in Dines Green despite a series of bizarre and violent episodes in Worcester and Kidderminster.

The dad cut grass with scissors after holding them to his face, demanded a woman kiss his feet and give him drugs while manhandling her and pulling her hair out in clumps, smashed up a hostel room and smeared excrement on the walls of his Worcester prison cell.

An old custody photo of Karl Hardwick

The 37-year-old, who has mental health issues but is now medicated, was given a community order and made subject to a criminal behaviour order at Worcester Crown Court on Monday (February 22)

After serving 10 months on remand, the sentence means he was given his freedom and will now be staying with his dad, Michael Hardwick, in Worcester.

Hardwick appeared over prison videolink for his sentence before Recorder Christopher Millington QC.

He had admitted a string of strange and brutal offences - possession of an offensive weapon (scissors), two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm (one committed against a woman in her own home and the other against a hospital patient), using violence to enter a woman's flat, criminal damage and battery against a vulnerable pensioner.

The case had been hit by a series of delays as reports from a psychiatrist and probation officer were sought and the parties weighed up the danger Hardwick poses to the public upon his release. The judge ordered three different reports before passing sentence.

Recorder Millington said that, at the time of the offences, it was quite apparent that Hardwick's mental health had seriously deteriorated and he was suffering from psychosis, probably exacerbated by his use of controlled drugs.

We previously reported how Hardwick kicked Kidderminster dad-of-four Thomas O'Brien to death when the defendant was 17 years old outside St Paul's Hostel in Worcester, which resulted in an eight year custodial sentence for manslaughter in 2000.

On September 22, 2019 police were called to Chedworth Drive in Warndon, Worcester because of Hardwick's weird and disturbing antics.

Recorder Millington said: "You were was discovered by a female officer in an agitated state, mumbling to yourself and pacing about and, when she approached you, you produced a pair of kitchen scissors which you held to your face and, for a while, refused to put them down, bending down and using them to cut the grass."

Worcester Crown Court (Image: Hereford Times)

Hardwick was a patient at Worcestershire Royal Hospital on January 18 last year when, while watching television, another patient made what the judge called a "casual remark" about the defendant's daughter, suggesting she was spoilt.

Recorder Millington described how Hardwick became "enraged and violent" at this, launching an attack on the man with his fists.

The injuries he inflicted included a bloody nose, swelling to his head and severely bruised hands.

Hardwick was arrested on April 17 at a hostel for the homeless in Kidderminster. Banging could be heard from Hardwick's room and, when he had vacated it, staff found the room had been damaged, "possibly to the tune of £5,000'" which included damage to a bed, television and microwave.

At around 10pm on April 28 last year, he arrived at a woman's home, forcing his way inside and then into her room by kicking open the door and breaking the lock.

"Inside you were aggressive towards her, shouting at her, demanding that you supply her with drugs, making bizarre remarks about her praying and kissing your feet, manhandling her and pushing her about and throwing her across the room," the judge said. "You took hold of hair and pulled it with such force that a clump of it was removed. You also smashed a mobile phone"

The victim sustained a cut to the side of her mouth.

While staying at the Fownes Hotel in Worcester, which has been used to shelter homeless people during the pandemic, Hardwick barged into a 70-year-old woman who had been made homeless as a result of flooding.

Recorder Millington said the woman had also seen Hardwick spit in another male resident's face before he gave her a hard shove to her back.

"She was 70 years old and had problems with her back. You are extremely fortunate she did not fall as a result of your push," said the judge,

When arrested, Hardwick damaged his cell by pouring water into the intercom and smearing excrement on the walls.

However, the judge noted that Hardwick had already spent 10 months on remand waiting to be sentenced and that treatment involving medication had been successful. His mental health had "stabilised" and there had been no further incidents while in prison.

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Recorder Millington made a community order for two years to include 60 rehabilitation activity requirement days. A probation officer will supervise Hardwick's ongoing mental health issues.

A three year criminal behaviour order was also made which prohibits Hardwick from behaving in an aggressive, threatening or intimidating manner.

He must not enter Derby Road in Worcester or have contact directly or indirectly with a named injured party or refuse to leave an area or premises when asked by someone in authority to do so.

Hardwick is also banned from entering Lion Street in Kidderminster as part of the CBO.

"Don't come back," said Recorder Millington.

Hardwick replied: "Yeah, I know. I'm done with it."