Can I Tell You A Secret? - How police officer helped catch stalker

A new documentary revealing the crimes of Northwich resident Matthew Hardy has been added to Netflix – Can I Tell You A Secret?

Part two of the limited series focuses on the investigation that led to him being handed the longest custodial term in British history for online stalking.

The episode largely focuses on the investigation carried out by police constable Kevin Anderson, of the Northwich Local Policing Unit.

Upon being given the case, PC Anderson found there were loads of occurrences dating back to 2010 which all followed the same pattern of 'psychological warfare against the victim'.

“There were victims all over, hundreds of victims,” he said.

To try and confirm some of what had been reported, police visited Hardy’s flat in Northwich.

ALSO READ: Matthew Hardy's victims share their stories in episode one of Can I Tell You A Secret? 

“It was clean and tidy for someone who we believe is leading a chaotic lifestyle online,” said PC Anderson.

“There was nothing to suggest that he was linking people up and keeping track of who he was looking at. There were no post-it notes, no notebooks. There was nothing on the walls. Very, very, strange.”

At the initial interview, Hardy denied all allegations and answered no comment to almost every question.

However, he said he understood how the victims may feel, explaining that he had been targeted following an article in the Northwich Guardian in 2011 about him stealing a woman’s Facebook identity.

“I’m branded this name, stalker. That’s what upsets me because I’m not. I’m just quiet,” he said during the police interview.

With Hardy continuing to deny the allegations, the Crown Prosecution Service did not pursue the case.

PC Anderson began contacting victims from outside the county but lacked the evidence needed to charge Hardy until two major breakthroughs. 

First, Hardy accidentally showed his face on a livestream of a fake account he had set up.

Then, Lia, one of his victims, presented PC Anderson with a file of more than 700 pages of evidence.

A file of evidence prepared by one of Hardy's victims, Lia, helped bring him to justice (Image: Netflix)

Pleading guilty, Hardy said he was 'lonely' and attempted to use his autism diagnosis to excuse his actions.

On January 26, 2022, he was sentenced to nine years in prison (reduced to eight following an appeal).

Reflecting on how Hardy’s actions continue to affect her, Lia said: “I don’t really trust anyone apart from my family.

“That’s quite sad really, but that’s the way it is and that’s probably the way it’ll always be."