Jailed over missing packages

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 18 Dec 2008, 10:48

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... g_packages

John Scheerhout
18/12/2008

THREE postmen have been sacked for stealing parcels and dumping more than 5,000 packages.

One was jailed and the other two handed suspended prison sentences by Manchester magistrates.

Carl Borg, 28, of Second Avenue, Swinton, sobbed as he was jailed for 16 weeks.

Royal Mail investigated after complaints that parcels had not been delivered.

He was caught after thousands of parcels were discovered on a railway embankment, and thousands more in his loft.

A search of Borg's house uncovered four opened parcels including one from which a digital TV receiver had been taken.

Borg, based at the Worsley delivery office, told investigators he had been 'lazy and stupid'.

He admitted one charge that he stole seven postal packets, a second that he damaged 2,464 packets and two other charges that he delayed delivery of post.

Pat Regan, defending, said: "Out of stupidity he simply decided not to deliver the post. He behaved in the most ridiculous fashion."

Jailing Borg, who also worked as a taxi driver, chairman of the bench Trevor Cunliffe, said: "We find these offences very serious. There's been a breach of trust."

Borg's father Denis Borg, 58, said: "We're heartbroken. It seems a bit harsh. He didn't steal them, he just took the packages to the railway line. They got them all back.

"He was very depressed. He'd been working as a taxi driver and was involved in a bad car crash. He'd also split with his partner at the time.

"He's never been in trouble before, never into drugs or anything like that. He was going through a really bad patch."

Also in court was Daniel McKeer, 27, of Burton Street, Middleton. He was handed a six-month suspended sentence and ordered to do 250 hours unpaid community work after pleading guilty to seven counts of stealing, delaying and opening postal packets while he worked at the Royal Mail's Middleton delivery office.

He was caught stuffing several greeting card packets down his trousers. Another 103 packets were found in his locker and 126 at his home.

Ian Mitchell, 40, of Assheton Road, Newton Heath, was handed a six-month suspended sentence and ordered to pay £1,581 after admitting one charge that he stole packets, two that he damaged them and one that he delayed delivery.

Hundreds of packets he should have delivered were found dumped by the canal and in a wheelie bin in his garden.

When quizzed, Mitchell said: "It was just one of those days. I was soaked and I'd had enough and decided to go home."

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 18 Dec 2008, 10:52

To paraphrase "Thieving is futile"

Post by **fmrPOSTIE** » 18 Dec 2008, 17:18

Think this story goes to show, that although stealing/delaying the mail can never be excused people need to realise that being a postie is a tough job and it can take its toll on some people.

Fair sentance though.

uprising95 · Post by **uprising95** » 18 Dec 2008, 20:15

its wrong that init

he just needs a good slap
16 weeks in jail is not enough

Night Tonic · Post by **Night Tonic** » 18 Dec 2008, 20:44

Bring back hanging

DGP1 · Post by **DGP1** » 18 Dec 2008, 20:52

Night Tonic wrote:Bring back hanging

we really are going back in time

why don't we start using electric bleachers

after all, we could then do all the criminals in batches

NWpostie · Post by **NWpostie** » 18 Dec 2008, 20:56

uprising95 wrote:its wrong that init

he just needs a good slap
16 weeks in jail is not enough

Thats 4 months in prison, he wil find it tough and will have a criminal record, there is help available all he had to do was ask then he would never had any of this