Perverted Northumberland postman whose victim took her own life could be locked up for longer

A pervert postman whose victim took her own life could be locked-up for longer. Michael Stewart was convicted of sexually assaulting five women while employed by Royal Mail. One of his victims tragically went on to end her life while on the phone to the company about how the abuse and the way it was handled had impacted on her mental health.

Stewart was jailed for six years and six months at Newcastle Crown Court after he was convicted of a string of sex offences. But he could face longer behind bars after the sentence was referred to the Attorney General’s Unduly Lenient Sentencing Scheme (ULS).

Under the scheme victims of crime, members of the public, and the Crown Prosecution Service can ask for certain crown court sentences to be reviewed if they believe they are too lenient. The Attorney General’s Office then has 28 days, from the date the original sentence was passed, to decide whether the sentence should be referred to the Court of Appeal to be reviewed.

Stewart’s sentence is currently under consideration. As he locked Stewart up last month Judge Robert Spragg said the victim that died had told a detective of the terrible effect events had had on her after she reported the attacks to police. The judge told Stewart: “She said she had been feeling suicidal because of trauma owing to the attacks by you and how they had been dealt with by Royal Mail.”

The officer referred her to a mental health team but after taking an overdose on one occasion, she later went on to take her own life at her home. Judge Spragg said: “She had made a phone call to a Royal Mail manager in a distressed state, blaming her ill health on Michael Stewart’s behaviour towards her and how this was dealt with by Royal Mail.

“She committed suicide during the phone call. She was on the phone to Royal Mail management when she ended her life, showing a clear causal link. She did, therefore, suffer severe psychological harm from what you did.

“While this response was not predictable, it was nonetheless as a result of what you did. The Royal Mail investigation clearly weighed on her mind.”

Stewart was convicted of two counts of sexual assault and three of exposure against the woman. The court heard he started paying her compliments and making inappropriate comments about her breasts. In one offence, he kissed her without her consent and in another he pulled the collar of her shirt to look at her breasts. On three occasions, he exposed his penis to her, causing her to be shocked and upset.

Before her death, the woman said: “The way he behaved towards me affected my sleeping and eating. I feel so upset by what he has done and had thoughts of self harm and suicide.”

A close relative of the woman added: “Both my own and my family’s lives have been destroyed by her death and will never be the same. She’s massively missed by everyone and I feel we can’t enjoy anything in life anymore. She was a beautiful, friendly and popular girl with her whole life ahead of her.”

Stewart was found guilty of sexually assaulting another woman and putting her in fear of violence by harassment. He made sexual comments towards her, grabbed his groin and showed her an image of his penis on his phone.

He was also found guilty of sexually assaulting another woman, who said he “stared directly at her chest like a kid in a sweet shop” before reaching to grope her.

Stewart was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault on another woman. She complained to a Royal Mail manager at one point and got an apology from Stewart but he then continued to abuse her.

Stewart, 63, of Windsor Terrace, Amble, Northumberland, who has was jailed for six and a half years and must sign the sex offenders’ register.