Victim of pervert postman took her own life while on the phone to Royal Mail management

The Royal Mail has apologised after a woman took her own life while on the phone to management after she was one of five women to be sexually abused by a perverted postman

A woman tragically took her own life while on the phone to Royal Mail after she was sexually abused by a perverted postman.

Sick serial sex attacker Michael Stewart was convicted of sexually assaulting five women while he was a Royal Mail postman. Now, some of the victims have slammed the way the company handled complaints.

Stewart, from Amble, Northumberland, was told by Judge Robert Spragg that the woman who took her own life by hanging herself “had been feeling suicidal because of trauma owing to the attacks by you and how they had been dealt with”.

Against this woman, Stewart was convicted of two counts of sexual assault and three of exposure. The court heard he began by making inappropriate comments about her breasts and paying her compliments. In one offence, he kissed her without consent. In another, he pulled the collar of her shirt to look at her breasts.

Stewart also exposed his penis to her on three occasions.

The woman had told a detective of the devastating emotional impact she experienced and the officer referred her to a mental health team. Despite this, she took an overdose at home before going on to take her own life, Chronicle Live reported.

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.”

Before she died, 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.”

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

In a victim impact statement, she said: “He has tainted my life and those of the other victims.”

Another woman Stewart was guilty of sexually assaulting said he “stared directly at her chest like a kid in a sweet shop” before reaching to grope her.

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

She said two Royal Mail managers “did nothing to help me”.

A fifth woman Stewart was also guilty of sexually assaulting said she told a Royal Mail manager who said it was not the first complaint and said Stewart would be spoken to but the victim said she heard nothing back.

“I feel very let down,” she said.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said that an independent review was commissioned following the case and it had implemented changes “across the organisation” in line with its recommendations.

They said: “These crimes were abhorrent and had significant, and in cases tragic, consequences for the victims… We would like to publicly apologise to the victims, their families and to others who were targeted.”

If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 08 08 16 89 111 or visit their website, Home – Victim Support.

For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.