Postman burned mail in the woods

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Po ... ticle.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A POSTMAN who found his rounds too hard burned mail in woods and hoarded hundreds of envelopes and parcels in his house and car, a court heard.

Ryan Brooks, aged 30, set fire to mail in Parkway Woods and held on to more than 2,200 pieces of mail at home over about a year.

He told investigators that he liked his job but found it difficult because there was too much mail.

Brooks' deceit was only uncovered when a dog walker found a small bonfire, a Royal Mail sack and the remains of some envelopes close to a footpath, Plymouth magistrates were told.

Brooks, of Ponsonby Road, Stoke, admitted breaching his duty as a postman to deliver the mail between March 3 and March 15 last year.

He also admitted damaging property of an unknown value belonging to the Royal Mail without lawful excuse on or about December 12.

Magistrates put off sentencing for full reports to be prepared into his background but warned that they would consider a jail sentence.

John Major, prosecuting, said that on that date a dog walker spotted the post sack and some burnt envelopes and parcels. She found the remains of six pieces of mail and a pair of scissors in what appeared to be a small old bonfire.

Royal Mail managers visited the secluded spot and from addresses examined traced the post back to Brooks on five different rounds.

Mr Major said: "The defendant explained that although he liked the job it was hard and there was too much mail. He said that he had been too scared to return mail he had not delivered to the Plymouth Delivery Office."

He added that Brooks denied having any undelivered mail at home but said that he burnt 30 to 50 postal packets (envelopes and parcels) around December 8.

Mr Major said: "The defendant stated that he had taken all the postal packets he had not delivered since November 2007 to the woods where he had set fire to them."

The court heard that investigators found 705 items of post in his car and 1,531 at his house.

Mr Major said that almost all the post was 'advertising or junk mail' but he stressed that these items were not worthless as businesses paid the Royal Mail to deliver them.

The court heard that Brooks told investigators that he had had some of the junk mail in his bedroom for months and had not decided what to do with it.

Magistrates ordered pre-sentence reports and remanded Brooks on unconditional bail until he is sentenced on April 27.

Presiding magistrate Chris Ewings said: "This is a serious breach of trust. We are keeping all our options open including custody and committal to the crown court."

[POSTMAN]

How many more of these ffs...

So instead of "do Bears........."

[k979aaa]

All i will say hasn't john major fallen on hard time's prosecuting for the CPS and i thought he was an accountant!.

[DGP1]

Most of the stories have a familiar story, too much work and unsympthatic management and usually bullying by managers to take everything out and not to claim any OT, I know that some people take the piss but it's hard to avoid that more and more people seem to be caught hiding/destroying/tampering mail.

Anyway, it shows a major failing in management who not only failed to notice one member of staff was struggling but that didn't notice any difference whenever the person was off also the managment should be approachable by members of staff to discuss problems they are having with their jobs and not the usual disreguarding of concerns and problems.

[k979aaa]

Most of the stories have a familiar story, too much work and unsympthatic management and usually bullying by managers to take everything out and not to claim any OT, I know that some people take the piss but it's hard to avoid that more and more people seem to be caught hiding/destroying/tampering mail.

Anyway, it shows a major failing in management who not only failed to notice one member of staff was struggling but that didn't notice any difference whenever the person was off also the managment should be approachable by members of staff to discuss problems they are having with their jobs and not the usual disreguarding of concerns and problems.

Quite right and all though it is an inexcusable offence their is a bigger picture of what is in your post above and we don't hear of the postmen/women who have died through stress or alcohol related problems through the stress of the job and the pressure from ones manager and their superiors!.

[brothermagrew]

The court heard that investigators found 705 items of post in his car and 1,531 at his house.


Could this be construed as another reason on why private cars should not be used on delivery? Granted the original post makes no mention that a private car was being used whilst out on delivery by the postie concerned, but it does sound dubious.