Laura Bardsley – Stalybridge

A sex offending mum-of-two has been hauled back to court following her early release from prison.

Shamed former care worker Laura Bardsley previously admitted sexual activity with a 15-year-old boy.

The 31-year-old served half of her six-year prison sentence behind bars. But Bardsley found herself back before magistrates after she ‘forgot’ to sign the sex offenders’ register upon her release.

Tameside Magistrates Court heard Bardsley was required to sign on annually as part of her parole, after being automatically freed from prison three years into her sentence.

Yet she was arrested again last December, after being 15 days late in confirming her details at a police station.

Bardsley, now of Stalybridge but previously of Reddish, subsequently lost her job when details of the delay were circulated online.

Bardsley had been locked up in May 2021 for her disgusting actions with the teenage boy.

The court heard that she had engaged him in sexual intercourse on at least 15 occasions. Bardsley also sent ‘sexually-charged’ texts professing her love for him.

During a four-month period, Bardsley spent time with the boy at a pub and spent a night with him in a hotel.

During his summer holiday, she wrote him a string of love letters, and she also Googled the search terms ‘unprotected sex’ and ‘morning after pill’, the court heard.

In one instance, a neighbour spotted the pair kissing passionately through a kitchen window. Her criminal behaviour was uncovered when the boy’s mother found the love letters while cleaning his bedroom.

He initially declined to talk about the ordeal, but later spoke about it after Bardsley became jealous when he started dating a 17-year old girl, the court heard.

Despite being repeatedly arrested, Bardsley kept hounding the boy and acquired a mobile phone whilst being held on remand in jail so she could continued messaging him – begging him to ‘stick by her’.

Bardsley was released on licence in February 2024 with conditions, including the annual signing on the sex offenders’ register at a local police station.

She complied with the requirement on December 16, 2024, but failed to attend the following year on December 16, 2025. She eventually signed on December 31 after being notified by the probation service.

Emma Sockett, prosecuting, said: “This is the defendant’s first breach of the order. It is a minor breach and little or no harm was caused.”

A probation officer said Bardsley has attended 168 of 224 appointments on post-sentence supervision with no unacceptable absences, adding: “She is currently linked up with women’s centre as well as completing work as regards her mental well-being and toolkits to address her offending behaviour. I do feel that what she has got in place is sufficient for her to be managed in the community.”

Bardsley, of Grosvenor Street, Stalybridge, admitted failing to comply with notification requirements.

She was fined £80 and ordered to pay £117 in costs and surcharge.