Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
I’m not a monster.. SHE IS
Girl awaits sentence over sex assault lies
A “suicidal” young Coatbridge man with learning difficulties almost jumped from a 14th-storey window after a twisted teen tried to frame him for sexual assault.
And despite being acquitted in court, Kevin Stewart, 20, remains afraid to leave the house because of an online smear campaign by malicious Shannon Maley, 19, (below).
Kevin’s nightmare began when he was accused of sexually assaulting three young women, including Maley.
He spent two months on remand before being acquitted on all the charges.
Last month his teenage tormentor pled guilty to perverting the course of justice by falsely accusing Kevin – who has the mental age of a young teenager – of sending dozens of depraved and threatening messages to her on Facebook.
In reality, Maley created fake profiles and posted the vile messages herself in an attempt to implicate Kevin in a crime he did not commit.
She also pled guilty to harassing witnesses – Kevin’s other two alleged victims – by telling them what to say while giving evidence at his trial.
Kevin continues to be threatened and abused online and in the street.
Now, as Maley awaits sentencing, he wants the truth to be told.
Distraught Kevin Stewart sat on the ledge of his 14thstorey flat window seriously contemplating whether life was worth living because of the vicious lies that had “destroyed” him.
The 20-year-old, who has learning difficulties, had been moved to the flat “for his own safety” after receiving threats from enraged individuals who believed Airdrie teenager Shannon Maley’s poisonous smear campaign.
Maley had accused Kevin of sexual assault and then gone on to concoct an abhorrently elaborate plan to see him jailed.
After saying he molested her in Centenary Park in June 2017, she created fake social media profiles in Kevin’s name and sent herself scores of depraved and threatening messages.
She even contacted the Advertiser prior to Kevin’s trial last November and lied about how she lived in fear for her life, knowing all the while she had made the messages up.
Maley’s warped web of deceit began to unravel when she accused Kevin of sending yet another chilling text message at a time when it was impossible for him to have done so because he was stuck in a police cell.
Then, another of his alleged sexual assault victims said the allegations against Kevin were untrue.
Last month, Maley pleaded guilty at Airdrie Sheriff Court to perverting the course of justice and also to harassing witnesses.
Kevin says her allegations – combined with a social media vendetta which spanned continents – left him on the brink of suicide.
However, being acquitted on all five sexual assault charges last November, brought him back from the brink and gave him the strength to attempt to clear his name in the court of public opinion and his ongoing trial by social media.
The former Buchanan High pupil told the Advertiser: “I’m desperate for everyone to know that I didn’t and have never sexually assaulted anyone.
“It feels like Shannon Maley has destroyed my life. I still can’t walk down Coatbridge Main Street without people shouting abuse at me.
“I’ve had voicemails from people I don’t even know saying they’re going to blow up my house.
“Unfortunately, people believe what they see online and it’s a very dangerous situation. I walked free from court and now she’s admitted making up all these messages and telling witnesses what to say. “She’s an absolute monster.” Recalling his months of torment, Kevin continued: “At times it felt like I couldn’t cope any more.
“When I was on remand I tried to slit my wrists and when I was rehoused for my own safety, I sat on the ledge of my flat window 14 stories up and thought about jumping.
“But I didn’t want to die because of someone else’s lies.
“I’m happy I didn’t, because now I will hopefully see her punished for ruining my life.”
Kevin, who was seeing Maley’s sister when the serious accusations were first made against him, says he didn’t really know her that well but had enjoyed a drink with her and two of her friends after a night out on June 10, 2017.
Police arrested him a month later on suspicion of sexually assaulting the three young women and led the terrified thenteenager away in handcuffs.
One of the alleged victims subsequently admitted Kevin had not assaulted her, and now Maley has pled guilty to harassing her and the other female who accused him, and of trying to influence their evidence at his trial.
The first step for me to be able to move on and live my life is to hopefully see Shannon put in prison. She’s a crackpot and is where she belongs Kevin Stewart
their evidence at his trial.
It was also claimed that on October 31 2017, on South Bridge Street in Airdrie, Kevin tried to force himself on two 15-year-old girls – allegedly friends of Maley – but a witness alibi stated Kevin didn’t do as was suggested and he was acquitted on the charges.
Kevin continued: “One of the witnesses contacted my girlfriend [not Shannon Maley’s sister] to say it was all lies which, even though I knew that to be the case, was still a big relief.
“If I ever see her I’d say ‘thanks’, but at the moment I don’t feel safe to walk the streets because of what Maley has made people think about me. I’ve been threatened with a hammer and I’ve been asked to leave shops.
“I’m still not coping well and am drinking too much because of the stress.
“The first step for me to be able to move on and live my life is to hopefully see Shannon put in prison.
“She’s a crackpot and that’s where she belongs. I still don’t know why she decided to do all this to me.”
Kevin’s mum Elaine added: “It’s been hell for his dad Archie and me. Kevin is our son and we know him better than anyone.
“Shannon Maley hasn’t shown any remorse for all of this and I want everyone to know she has ruined our son’s life.
“She put posts on Facebook about him that went all over the world. I was getting nasty messages about Kevin from people in America.
“She saw Kevin as an easy victim because even though he’s 20, his difficulties mean he has a mind more like a young teenager.
“Like Kevin, I want to see her punished for the devastation she has caused.”
Maley will be sentenced at Airdrie Sheriff Court later this month.