An 84-year-old cancer patient was allegedly subjected to a savage, two hour beating at the hands of her 96-year-old partner after she asked to hold his hand, a court has heard.
Newtownards magistrates court was told that Fedor Harvey Stewart (96) told police: “I did it. Look at my fists - they are damaged - it was me, I did it.” And he added: “If she had not annoyed me I wouldn’t have had to discolour her face.”
Stewart, formerly from the Old Belfast Road in Bangor but bailed to live at Church Lane in Donaghadee, confirmed in court that he understood the two charges against him, inflicting actual bodily harm and attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle the victim.
During a contested bail application, a prosecuting lawyer told the court how Stewart went to his GP on Tuesday, telling the doctor how he had "continually punched the woman in an attack that lasted over two hours."
The police were alerted and when they went to the complainant’s home, they saw she had “significant injuries including severe bruising to her face.”
“He disclosed on Tuesday that she had asked to hold his hand which he responded to by repeatedly punching her in the face,” said the PPS lawyer adding that “While in the police car he said to officers ‘I agree with you, I did it. Look at my fists - they are damaged - it was me, I did it’.
“If she had not annoyed me I wouldn’t have had to discolour her face.”
Opposing Stewart being freed, a police officer gave evidence that police “are very concerned about the injured party as she is vulnerable and there are social workers here in court today who are concerned that this is not the first time this may have happened.”
She revealed that Stewart has “shown very little remorse” and that police “have very serious concerns that this behaviour has been going on for years although this is the first report of it.”
Freeing Stewart on his own bail of £500, District Judge Peter King barred the pensioner from contacting the alleged victim.
Stewart is to appear again on 25 April.
