Man who threatened to throw acid in colleague’s face is jailed

Judge hands down 20-month sentence after woman was constantly harassed, leaving her in fear of violence

A BELFAST man who harassed a female colleague and threatened to throw acid in her face after she turned down requests to be his girlfriend has been jailed.

Edward Stewart, with an address at Centenary House on Victoria Street, was handed a 20-month sentence after he admitted harassing the woman and leaving her in fear of violence.

Judge Stephen Fowler imposed an additional extended period of 24 months on licence as the 36-year old has been deemed a dangerous offender.

As he sentenced Stewart, the judge said he had a “relevant and extensive” criminal record for “targeting individuals with whom he has taken umbrage”.

This included attacks and threats against former employers, his landlord, a probation officer and police.

Stewart appeared for his sentencing at Belfast Crown Court via a videolink with Maghaberry, where it emerged that he breached a restraining order issued to protect his former work colleague within an hour of it being imposed.

He initially denied the two charges and was due to stand trial in Belfast last February. That morning, he changed his plea and admitted the two charges.

A 10-year restraining order was issued banning him from contacting the woman. She attended court that day, and within 30 minutes of the order being imposed, she was approached by Stewart in Ann Street where he invaded her personal space and shouted at her.

Judge Fowler revealed that in June 2017, the female victim started working in a call centre where Stewart was also employed. He initially sent her hand-written notes asking if she liked him and if she would be his girlfriend.

Stewart then sent these types of notes to the woman up to five times a day for a week — despite her asking him on several occasions to stop. Stewart continued with this behaviour, and when it became clear he was being rejected, he became aggressive, rude and threatening.

Judge Fowler said Stewart then began calling her a slut and a whore, and on one occasion when he was rebuffed, Stewart punched a computer screen.

He issued a series of threats against her and told her he was going to rape her, slit her throat and throw acid in her face. As a result of his behaviour, she made a complaint — but before this was determined, Stewart was sacked for absenteeism.

Stewart sent a text to a former fellow worker on August 29, 2017 saying the threats were ‘just a bit of craic lol’, and ‘ a wee acid throwing incident may occur’.

After Stewart was sacked, the woman he threatened did not hear from him for 11 months. However, in July 2018 she received a private Facebook message from him which said ‘ me and you are going to have a very interesting conversation the next time I see you. I have been waiting a year’.

She contacted the PSNI, an investigation was launched, and Stewart was arrested.

As he sentenced Stewart, Judge Fowler said the harassment and fear he instilled in his former female work colleague was “deliberate and callous” and “designed to maximise fear and distress”.

The judge imposed a sentence of 20 months in custody followed by an extended period of two years in licence.

‘Stewart then sent these types of notes to the woman up to five times a day for a week’