Victim of Predatory Postman Still Waiting for Direct Apology from Royal Mail

Conviction and Ongoing Impact on Victims

Michael Stewart, 62, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison at Newcastle Crown Court after being found guilty of eight counts of sexual assault, three counts of exposure, and one count of harassment with fear of violence. His crimes spanned several years and had a devastating impact on his victims, two of whom tragically passed away before seeing him brought to justice.

Following the hearing, which took place earlier this month, one of Stewart’s victims, who was attacked at her workplace in Morpeth, has spoken out about the continued lack of accountability.

She said: "Michael Stewart was prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced - but I am still waiting for someone at Royal Mail to reach out to acknowledge what happened to me.

"Despite the seriousness of his actions, no one has contacted me directly to say sorry, to provide details of what the Royal Mail investigation identified in terms of failings, and exactly what steps have been taken to stop this from happening again.

“I feel I deserve to know what lessons have been learned."

She also expressed how difficult it has been to come to terms with the fact that after everything Stewart did, he will only serve a matter of years, whilst the damage he caused his victims ‘will last a lifetime’.

Concerns Over Royal Mail's Response

Simpson Millar’s specialist Abuse Claims team, which represents the worker, has echoed these concerns, highlighting media reports that suggest that senior Royal Mail managers may have had evidence that could have helped police but failed to cooperate.

Whilst Royal Mail has stated that it has implemented new internal reporting tools and clearer codes of conduct, survivors and their legal representatives insist that more transparency is needed.

Joshua Hurst, one of the abuse law specialists at Simpson Millar, said: "For survivors of sexual abuse, justice is about more than just a conviction - it’s about accountability. That means institutions acknowledging their failures, directly apologising to those harmed, and being fully transparent about the steps they are taking to prevent this from happening again.

"Royal Mail has stated that they commissioned an independent review following these events, but unless the findings are made public in full, how can victims or the wider public have confidence that real change has been made? Without transparency, there can be no trust.

Support for Survivors

"The abuse our client suffered has had a profound and lasting impact. Whilst no amount of compensation can undo the harm caused, we are now working to ensure they have access to the rehabilitation and support they need to rebuild their life."

Simpson Millar’s Abuse Claims team remains committed to supporting abuse survivors across the country, ensuring they receive the legal, emotional, and financial help they need.