Postman jailed over £45,000 mail thefts

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http://www.nidderdaleherald.co.uk/nidde ... 4669628.jp

A DEBT-RIDDEN Nidderdale father of four who stole £45,250 from Royal Mail special delivery packages has been jailed for 12 months.

Andrew Leddy, 33, of Lupton Springs, Glasshouses, began his thefts while working as a postman and later used knowledge of security codes to commit four burglaries at a delivery office.

At York Crown Court his barrister, Nathan Adams, told RecorderToby Wynn that it was almost as though Leddy wanted to be caught and it could be related to depression and incidents of self-harm earlier in his life.

Leddy, who was said to have debts of £25,000, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and four of burglary. Warner Falk, prosecuting, said he had stolen vouchers valued at £45,250 plus 800 US dollars.

He said Leddy was employed at Ripon postal delivery office from March, 2005, to November 2007. Royal Mail investigators set a trap baited with five special delivery items after receiving reports that the corners of three packets had been cut and others had not been delivered.

Mr Falk said Leddy visited former colleagues at the delivery office and then left. In a surveillance operation he was seen later using digital codes to enter the building before climbing through a chute into the special delivery area.

He was seen to open two packets using a Stanley knife and remove two other packets and place them in the band of his trousers. After being stopped he co-operated with the investigation officers.

He admitted having gone into the Royal Mail building looking for money and other valuable items. He told investigators he cut open the packets to see if they contained money and had taken the others intending to open them later.

He admitted stealing a packet containing $800, which he had exchanged at Leeds Bradford Airport for about £300. Leddy also said he had stolen Boots and other high value vouchers, using some and selling others on eBay.

Mr Falk said the Royal Mail was seeking compensation of £12,537 and prosecution costs of £4,500. He told the judge that the vouchers, including one package valued at £8,500, had been sent through the post from a distributor for use by retailers.

Mr Adams said in mitigation that Leddy was married with children aged eight, six, four and two. He had not been in trouble before and the probation report indicated the risk of him re-offending was seen as low.

Mr Adams said Leddy had been desperately trying to hang on to his house and avoid it being repossessed

It seemed “depression is the motive for these offences”. Leddy had sought medical help and was making progress.

Judge Wynn said Leddy could have expected a sentence of two to three years, but he was reducing it to 12 months. He told Leddy he would be eligible for release on licence after six months.