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Tragic Inquest: Postwoman's Suicide After Abuse
11 Dec
Summary
- Postwoman died by suicide during a call to Royal Mail HR.
- Employee faced escalating harassment from a colleague.
- Managers admitted failing to protect the victim.
A Royal Mail postwoman, Carly Wealleans, died by suicide in March 2022 while on a call with her HR manager. An inquest heard that her death was a direct result of escalating sexual harassment from a colleague, Michael Stewart, and the company's failure to adequately address her concerns. Her GP noted that workplace stress was the primary factor contributing to her distress.
Stewart, a postman with over 20 years of service, was subsequently sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison for sexually assaulting, exposing himself to, and harassing five women, including Ms. Wealleans. The sentencing judge emphasized that her death was a direct consequence of his actions. An independent investigation revealed significant failures within the Morpeth Delivery Office, including a lack of proper record-keeping and managers' misunderstanding of consent.
Royal Mail has acknowledged its duty of care failures and apologized for not protecting Ms. Wealleans, calling her death a 'significant wake-up call.' The company has since implemented reforms to improve workplace culture and reporting mechanisms. Tragically, Ms. Wealleans' younger brother, Sam, also passed away last September while running a race in her memory.
