Northern Ireland

Pensioner alleged attacked by 86 year-old partner 'may not be co-operating' with police investigation court hears

Fedor Harvey Stewart is alleged to have subjected his partner to a savage beating
Fedor Harvey Stewart is alleged to have subjected his partner to a savage beating Fedor Harvey Stewart is alleged to have subjected his partner to a savage beating

A PENSIONER alleged subjected to a prolonged attack by her 86-year-old partner may not be co-operating with the police investigation, a court heard yesterday.

A lawyer told Newtownards Magistrates Court “there’s been no movement” in the case involving Fedor Harvey Stewart.

“We have concerns about the delay,” defence solicitor Dermot Bowes adding, “it maybe that the injured party is not co-operating.”

Stewart, formerly from the Old Belfast Road in Bangor but bailed to live at Church Lane in Donaghadee, faces charges of inflicting actual bodily harm and attempting to choke, suffocate or strangle the 84-year-old woman on 26 March this year.

When Stewart was initially charged, the court heard claims that he subjected his partner, who is recovering from cancer, to a two hour beating after she asked to hold his hand.

He is alleged to have told police: “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.”

During the contested bail application, a prosecuting lawyer told the court how Stewart went to his GP, telling the doctor how he had “continually punched the woman in an attack that lasted over two hours.”

Police were alerted and when they went to the complainant’s home, they saw she had “significant injuries including severe bruising to her face.”

Opposing Stewart being freed last month, a police officer gave evidence that police “are very concerned about the injured party as she is vulnerable” and there were fears “this is not the first time this may have happened.”

The officer told the court that Stewart had “shown very little remorse” and that police “have very serious concerns that this behaviour has been going on for years.”

In court yesterday a prosecuting lawyer conceded that the police file had been due to be lodged by May 10 but that as yet, “it’s not been received.”

“There’s an issue in relation to medical evidence,” she told the court, asking for the case to be adjourned for four weeks.

Instead, Deputy District Judge Steven Keown relisted the case next Thursday “for the file to be submitted or the investigating officer to attend for an explanation of the file hasn’t been submitted.”

Mr Bowes added that he will also be applying for a bail variation in relation to Stewart’s address on May 30.