The way in which civil servants described Michael Stewart, a 63-year-old postman from Northumberland who is imprisoned for six and a half years after committing a series of sexual attacks against women during his rounds, was depressing.
Judge Robert Spragg, who preserved Stewart's trial on the Newcastle Crown Court, characterized him this week as a seemingly popular man who was 'hidden in sight behind a facade of respectability'.
One of his victims, Carly WEALLEANS, was so sad that she committed suicide while she was on the phone to the Royal Mail to complain about Stewart.
Another of his victims told the BBC that until the day he walked into her house and grabbed her chest, Stewart had been 'really nice and friendly' and 'always had a joke', while a third one described a man who went from one 'Nice guy who' with 'a friendly word and brutal smile' delivered to someone for whom she hid in fear.
It was a similar story when Michael Williams, a postman from Cornwall, was given a prison sentence of eight and half a year in 2010 after using his contact with children on his daily postal route in Cornwall to identify potential victims.
It was estimated that Williams abused 1,000 children that he abused online and on his rounds.
Just like Stewart, Williams was generally considered a pillar of the community and was described locally as' A Cheerful and helpful character '.
In the meantime, Jason Peach, a former postman, was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2020 for taking care of a 15-year-old boy he was going to abuse in his Royal Mail van.
Carly Wealleans, depicted with her brother Sam, killed suicide while she was on the phone to Royal Mail after she was sexually abused by her postman Michael Stewart
Michael Stewart, a former postman convicted of 12 offenses of sexual violence, intimidation and exposure, was seen as a 'nice guy who has delivered the function'
Michael Williams, a former postman from Penryn, Cornwall, was also considered a pillar of the community until he was imprisoned in 2010 for taking care of children
Peach, who met his victim during a music performance when he was only 14, even became friends with the boy's father and went with him for beer.
While spending 'delivering packages' peach together would repeatedly 'kiss' the 'extremely vulnerable' boy.
When Peach's marriage broke, he proposed a suicide pact in which they would kill themselves after spending a night in a hotel.
The police intercepted the boy as he left Peach and found Razor Blade's in the teenager's bag.
Peach argued guilty of Southampton Crown Court for six charges, including rape and making indecent images of a child.
The boy later said in a victim impact statement that the abuse wanted to kill him suicide, and added that he was reminded when he saw a Royal Mail bus or a post box or post office.
Last year a Putney postman of 22 years, Jamie Farley, 44, avoided the prison after taking an indecent photo of a six-year-old child, which he shared with a 'pedophile' who was in fact an undercover officer.
The police found nearly 1,000 indecent images of children on his device and he pleaded guilty of voyeurism and three counts of making indecent images to the inner London Crown Court.
Jason Peach, a former postman, was sentenced to seven years in prison after a trial to Southampton Crown Court in 2020 to take care of and abuse a 15-year-old boy
Royal Mail said that Farley had not made them aware of the charges against him, but that he was suspended as soon as they were discovered.
A spokesperson said: 'Royal Mail always expects that the highest standards of his staff and the reported behavior will not have room in our company. We were not informed of the charges and as soon as we were informed, he was suspended pending an internal investigation. '
Mail workers are normally obliged to undergo an online assessment and interview before they undergo a basic check for the criminal record.
Although each of these cases entailed different circumstances, they are united by a common thread: the position of trust the perpetrators that are considered post -employees, and the more sinister way in which they use that trust to commit their crimes.
However, the way they were treated is clearly different.
Royal Mail suspended Williams about learning that he was the subject of a police investigation and fired him after his arrest.
But one of the factors that made Stewart's case particularly horrible was the alleged failure of Royal Mail to act on complaints against him.
His victim Carly Wealleans died in her house in Newbiggin, Northumberland, in March 2022 during a phone call with a manager at the postal service in which she was described as in a very troubled state.
Jamie Farley, 44, took an indecent photo of a young child and then sent it to a person he thought it was a like -minded pedophile
Two of his victims have died since then, and the mother of one of them claimed that the failure of the company to take action was a contributing factor in the decision of her daughter, Carly WEALLEANS, to take her own life.
Miss WEALLEANS, a former Olympic boxing hopeful, made a statement to the police in December 2021 stating that she felt suicidal because of the trauma she had done after what Stewart had done and the Royal Mail response to it. She was referred to mental health care.
She struggled to sleep and eat and in January 2022 the police told them that she had taken an overdose.
Two months later on March 11, she called Royal Mail 'in a very distressed state and blamed her poor health against Stewart's insult to her and how this was treated by Royal Mail', Newcastle Crown Court was told.
Judge Robert Spragg said she took her own life during that call.
'We blame Stewart's insult [Carly] For her mental condition and final suicide, the family of Miss WalleLeans told the court.
While he acknowledges the multitude of factors involved in a suicide, Judge Spragg agreed that death was a 'direct result' of Stewart's actions and the compound effects of Royal Mail's ineffective response.
“Although this reaction was not predictable, it was still as a result of what you did,” Spragg told Stewart.
'It is impossible to know the full reasons why someone chooses to take their own life, but, I repeat, if you had not behaved against her this way, it is clear that they would not have the serious psychological damage ago she did, which led to the loss of her life. '
Miss WEALLEANS died in her house in Newbiggin, Northumberland, in March 2022 during a phone call with a Royal Mail manager in which she was described as in a very distressed state.
Four months earlier she was referred to mental health care after a statement to the police in which she said she felt suicidal after Stewart had taken her shirt, looked at her breasts, kissed her and repeatedly exposed herself to her.
Miss WEALLEANS, a former Olympic boxing hopeful, “her poor health blamed Stewart's offensive against her and how this was treated by Royal Mail,” the court was told.
Another woman who was sexually abused by Stewart reported the attack to Royal Mail, so that he was temporarily suspended from his route. The court heard that he showed the woman a photo of his penis on his phone when he returned to the route.
A third victim of the abuse of Stewart reported her experience to Royal Mail Management, but said she “never heard anything back.”
A spokesperson for Royal Mail said: “These crimes were disgusting and had considerable and in cases tragic consequences for the victims.
“Stewart abused his position of trust. This judgment reflects the severity of his violations. We want to publicly apologize to the victims, their families and others who were the target.
'The protection of our colleagues and customers is our greatest priority. After this case we imposed an independent assessment.
“In accordance with its recommendations, we have implemented changes throughout the organization, including a multi -year campaign on sexual harassment and culture in the workplace, new internal reporting tools and clearer codes of conduct and expected behavior.”
For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support
