Mugshot of Paul Stewart Photo Credit: THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — Criminal charges have been filed against a man who allegedly assaulted his girlfriend after forcibly entering her friend’s home.
Paul Stewart is charged with second-degree burglary, grand larceny, third-degree robbery, simple assault and battery, destruction of property and disturbance of the peace. The offenses carry prison sentences ranging from 30 days to 10 years.
According to the probable cause fact sheet accompanying his arrest, Stewart and his girlfriend got into an argument on the afternoon of December 26th after they went out on his boat. The victim told police that Stewart was verbally and physically abusive towards her and she decided to end the relationship because she had had enough.
According to the woman, they later sailed back to St. Croix and she saw one of her friends after they docked at Green Cay Marina. She indicated that she did not feel safe going home with Stewart so her friend agreed that she could stay with him. She noted that she did not tell Stewart anything and left the marina for her friend’s home.
Later that evening they heard a knock at the front door but did not respond due to safety reasons. Shortly after they heard a loud bashing sound and realized that a concrete brick came through the front glass door. The victim then observed Stewart enter the residence, walk past her friend and come directly towards her. She recounted hiding in the closet in a crouched position out of fear. However, Stewart allegedly grabbed her by the back of her neck, picked her up from the floor and dragged her to the kitchen area. He then started to bang his hands on the kitchen counter and curse at the victim and her friend. The woman said that Stewart threatened her friend and told them to “have a good life together” before leaving the residence.
The next morning she texted Stewart in the hopes of retrieving her belongings from the residence they shared. He agreed to pick her up and they drove to the residence where she later discovered that her belongings were either gone or destroyed. When asked where her belongings were, Stewart replied, “I destroyed everything, it’s gone! You will never get them back! I dumped all your clothes in the bushes!” The victim reported that she had about $2300 in cash that was also gone.
Stewart then asked for her phone and she initially refused, but gave it to him after he threatened violence. According to the victim, he went through her phone and realized that she had texted a friend about what happened. He then became irate and punched her in the leg before telling her to get out. But his violent actions did not end there. According to the victim, as she attempted to leave, Stewart pushed her down the stairs and cursed at her. She told police that she was in a great deal of pain and had to use her neighbor’s phone to call her friend to pick her up.
Police later made contact with Stewart who claimed that the victim was intoxicated when they returned from the boat trip and he was concerned for her safety since she does not have many friends on the island. He stated that he went to her friend’s residence and asked nicely to come inside but no one let him in. During his statement to police, he admitted to entering the residence after throwing the concrete block through the glass door. He further admitted to engaging in a verbal and physical altercation with the victim as well as destroying her personal items and taking her phone and money. According to the fact sheet, Stewart expressed that he knows he was wrong and allowed his emotions to get the best of him. He was placed under arrest and detained at the Bureau of Corrections with no bail being set at the time.
At an advisement hearing on Wednesday, Judge Darryl Donohue agreed to a request by Stewart’s attorney that bail be set at $1000 and that he be released on the posting of $101. He will be required to sign an unsecured bond for the remainder and will be released into the third-party custody of a relative.
The alleged victim has been granted a temporary restraining order against Stewart and he has been prohibited from having any direct or indirect contact with her and any witnesses in the matter. The defendant must also submit his passport to the courts and is barred from leaving St. Croix without prior court permission.
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