Post thief behind bars

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.wigantoday.net/wigannews/Pos ... 4690988.jp

A postman who stole from the mail because of his gambling debts has been jailed for three months.

A judge told Kevin Green: "It is tragic that gambling has resulted in you descending to this level.
"Those who interfere with the mail will find themselves in a serious position.

"The public have the right to expect that mail will be delivered and it is safe to entrust items to people like you.
"It is a serious breach of trust taking items in your care and there is the risk of causing damage to public confidence in the postal system."

Green, 47, of Breaston Avenue, Leigh, had pleaded guilty to two offences of theft.

Kerron Rohrer, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that Green, who has no previous convictions, had been employed as a postman delivering mail in Leigh for seven and a half years.
He said: "The investigation department of the Royal Mail received information about his activities."

On July 11 he was kept under surveillance and six specially prepared greetings cards were included in his mail. Four of the items were addressed to locations on his round but the other two were for a different round.

Green took all six, which had tracking devices inside, out with him and investigators kept watch. Green opened the items and took cash, said Mr Rohrer.

When arrested, Green admitted what he had been doing and inquiries revealed he had taken a total of £70 from a total of 11 items on two separate days.

John Chukwuemeka, defending, said that that Green's workload had increased because of changes to the system of work and this had impacted on his family and financial life.

He had a gambling habit and, having exhausted his overdraft, he started opening the mail for money. He had an unblemished record with the Royal Mail and his prosecution had been a salutary lesson.

It had affected his partner of 27 years and their two young children though he had been able to obtain other employment and start paying off his debts, said Mr Chukwuemeka.