Postman burned mail in work row

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk ... 4848434.jp

A POSTMAN who burned mail amid a dispute over working hours, has narrowly avoided an immediate jail sentence.
Gary Lynch received a six-month prison term, suspended for a year, after admitting criminal damage and delaying the opening of a postal packet.

The 22-year-old from Lingdale near Saltburn in East Cleveland, must also pay £650 compensation to his former employer, Royal Mail.

Lynch’s accomplice James Gratton, 21, of Skelton, also in East Cleveland, who admitted criminal damage, was ordered to carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work and pay £350 compensation.

Scarborough Magistrates’ Court heard that Lynch was experiencing personal problems and felt he was being overworked at the time of the offence.

Ian Brickman, prosecuting for Royal Mail, said police officers were on patrol in the Whitby area when they discovered two men burning items on a fire at a quarry near Lealholm.

“Mr Lynch said he was disposing of leaflets no longer required, with the authority of his employer,” he said.

Around 2,000 postal packages, mostly publicity mail, were seized following searches of the quarry and Lynch’s car and home, and both men were arrested and taken to Scarborough police station.

Mr Brickman said Lynch indicated it was he, not Gratton, who was at fault, adding he had not been delivering mail because he was under pressure as a lot of workers were on leave.

“He indicated he felt he had been treated unfairly by Royal Mail, which had taken advantage of him being a new employee,” Mr Brickman said.

Royal Mail did not accept this was the case and said Lynch had only been expected to do the same amount of work as any other member of staff.

Franklyn Garvey, mitigating for both defendants, said: “Lynch joined the Royal Mail in the spring and then six months later these offences came to light and that must be taken as a breach of trust. As soon as he was arrested he immediately handed in his resignation.”

Mr Garvey said Lynch, who had no previous convictions, was suffering with family problems, adding: “He was very keen to finish his rounds as early as possible so he could care for those he held very close to his heart.

“What he decided to do was discard what he thought was junk mail and put it in his car – and that’s exactly what he did. But it became entirely out of control.”

Lynch, who worked out of a depot in Middlesbrough, approached his friend Gratton and the pair came up with a plan to burn the mail and leave it without trace.

Gratton, who was not a Royal Mail employee, had acted out of “misguided loyalty,” said Mr Garvey. “He was an extremely naive friend, called upon to help embark upon this very foolish escapade.

“It was a silly thing to do and both of them should have come to the conclusion that it’s best to tell the truth.”

[axeman]

http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk ... 4848434.jp

A POSTMAN who burned mail amid a dispute over working hours, has narrowly avoided an immediate jail sentence.
Gary Lynch received a six-month prison term, suspended for a year, after admitting criminal damage and delaying the opening of a postal packet.

The 22-year-old from Lingdale near Saltburn in East Cleveland, must also pay £650 compensation to his former employer, Royal Mail.

Lynch’s accomplice James Gratton, 21, of Skelton, also in East Cleveland, who admitted criminal damage, was ordered to carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work and pay £350 compensation.

Scarborough Magistrates’ Court heard that Lynch was experiencing personal problems and felt he was being overworked at the time of the offence.

Ian Brickman, prosecuting for Royal Mail, said police officers were on patrol in the Whitby area when they discovered two men burning items on a fire at a quarry near Lealholm.

“Mr Lynch said he was disposing of leaflets no longer required, with the authority of his employer,” he said.

Around 2,000 postal packages, mostly publicity mail, were seized following searches of the quarry and Lynch’s car and home, and both men were arrested and taken to Scarborough police station.

Mr Brickman said Lynch indicated it was he, not Gratton, who was at fault, adding he had not been delivering mail because he was under pressure as a lot of workers were on leave.

“He indicated he felt he had been treated unfairly by Royal Mail, which had taken advantage of him being a new employee,” Mr Brickman said.

Royal Mail did not accept this was the case and said Lynch had only been expected to do the same amount of work as any other member of staff.

Franklyn Garvey, mitigating for both defendants, said: “Lynch joined the Royal Mail in the spring and then six months later these offences came to light and that must be taken as a breach of trust. As soon as he was arrested he immediately handed in his resignation.”

Mr Garvey said Lynch, who had no previous convictions, was suffering with family problems, adding: “He was very keen to finish his rounds as early as possible so he could care for those he held very close to his heart.

“What he decided to do was discard what he thought was junk mail and put it in his car – and that’s exactly what he did. But it became entirely out of control.”

Lynch, who worked out of a depot in Middlesbrough, approached his friend Gratton and the pair came up with a plan to burn the mail and leave it without trace.

Gratton, who was not a Royal Mail employee, had acted out of “misguided loyalty,” said Mr Garvey. “He was an extremely naive friend, called upon to help embark upon this very foolish escapade.

“It was a silly thing to do and both of them should have come to the conclusion that it’s best to tell the truth.”

So i'm opting for a one day week and keeping my bonus options open after all were all staff aren't we ???

[uprising95]

fancy burning mail the tit
he should go jail defiantly

[DGP1]

fancy burning mail the tit
he should go jail defiantly

Around 2,000 postal packages, mostly publicity mail

It would appear that it was D2D's mostly, no excuse but it does put it in perspective.

[NWpostie]

New employees DO get put under pressure, I remember when I started It was intimated that I would not be retained "if I do not come up to standard" now 21 years down the road that still annoys me as I was rushing like nowt else as I didn't know better, these days I am more bolshy and more willing to stick up for myself, nobody pushes me around.