Man Sentenced for Strange Middletown Kidnapping Attempt

A middle-aged Bristol Township resident convicted of attempted kidnapping was ordered by a judge to serve time in prison in addition to several other conditions during his sentencing hearing Tuesday.

John Hardy faced Judge Rea Boylan in Doylestown court Tuesday afternoon.

Aside from having to spend between 18 to 36 months in prison, the convict will have to take part in post-release probation, mental health treatment and a medication regimen. He is also not to have contact with the victims, court records show.

The 45-year-old pleaded guilty recently to attempted kidnapping, indecent exposure, simple assault and several additional charges related the January 2012 occurrence, according to court records and PhillyBurbs.com.

The bizarre incident began after a woman tried to take a photo of Hardy’s licence plate after he cut her off at the entrance to the Target shopping center. After spotting the photo being taken, Hardy exited his vehicle and tried to yank the photo-takers young daughter from her car. Later, he stood in the roadway and exposed his genitals, the PhillyBurbs story said.

The man’s attorney told the court his client regretted the incident happened and he was not taking his prescription medications at the time, the story said.

Hardy was confined to the mental health unit in Bucks County jail as of eariler this week, according to the Department of Corrections.