ANNOUNCEMENT : ALL OF ROYAL MAIL'S EMPLOYMENT POLICIES (AGREEMENTS) AT A GLANCE (Updated 2021)... HERE

ANNOUNCEMENT : PLEASE BE AWARE WE ARE NOT ON FACEBOOK AT ALL!


Postman stole items from packages to pay for drink and drug addiction

Latest Royal Mail and CWU news.This is an open forum.
Post Reply
TrueBlueTerrier
FORUM ADMINISTRATOR
Posts: 69404
Joined: 30 Dec 2006, 10:29
Gender: Male
Location: Proud to be part of the Union

Postman stole items from packages to pay for drink and drug addiction

Post by TrueBlueTerrier »

https://metro.co.uk/2021/10/24/postman- ... -15477736/

A postman who stole valuable items meant to be delivered to homes has avoided jail.

David Allen, 44, was a highly trusted employee at Royal Mail for 20 years before he was caught stealing.

A court heard he took items including perfume, a Nike jacket and Adidas trainers, to a total value of more than £3,000.

He was caught after covert CCTV was installed at a depot in Ashington, Northumberland, where he worked when bosses became suspicious.

Allen, from Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, was given a suspended prison sentence at Newcastle Crown Court.

The defence claimed he stole items after his drink and drug addiction caused his finances to ‘spiral out of control’.

Recorder Anthony Dunne told Allen: ‘You worked for Royal Mail for some 20 years and you would have appreciated in that role that those who deliver mail and parcels are given a high degree of trust and responsibility with the property of other people.’

During an interview, Allen accepted stealing some items but denied others.

Andrew Petterson, prosecuting, said: ‘The items stolen were of substantial value to the loser and the thefts caused a high level of inconvenience.

‘It undermines the confidence of the public in the postal system.’

The court heard the total loss was £3,133 but Royal Mail also accrued £9,000 in investigation costs and £2,000 in legal costs.

Royal Mail compensated members of the public who lost out.

Allen was asked to allow Royal Mail to recover the money from his £7,000 pension pot but he declined and the judge said he had no power to force him to do so.

He admitted six counts of theft and was sentenced to ten months suspended for 12 months with a three-month curfew.

The court heard Allen, of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, had gone into a downward spiral involving him drinking and taking drugs, as a result of bereavement, divorce and childhood issues.

Tony Cornberg, defending, said Allen’s life had been ‘totally out of control’.

He added: ‘After 20 solid years of working, he succumbed to temptation once and crossed the line and did something he would never dream about as his finances spiralled out of control because he was a secret addict.

‘His embarrassment is evident.

‘He has done a lot to get himself back on track.’
All post by me in Green are Admin Posts.
Any post in any other colour is my own responsibility.
If you like a news story I posted please click the link to show support
Any news stories you can't post - PM me with a link
"Employers are always seeking more productivity from workers, without considering the human factor, the worker's age, the weather conditions and the intense heat. We need to intervene before it's too late, reducing working hours and the load carried by workers, because it's impossible to sustain the rhythm they're forced to work at for many years."

Post Reply