Royal Mail thief receives suspended sentence

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A ROYAL Mail cleaner who stole money and gift vouchers from items of post has narrowly escaped an immediate jail sentence.

Gambling addict Claire Hayes received a 24-week suspended prison sentence and a 12-month community order when she appeared before Bournemouth magistrates for sentencing yesterday.

Hayes, 37, of Symes Road, Hamworthy, was also given a 12-month community order, which includes 180 hours of unpaid work, a curfew and a training requirement.

She was also ordered to pay £100 towards costs and to pay £420 outstanding in compensation.

Hayes was working for a cleaning agency in delivery offices in Ferndown and Wimborne when she ripped open around 1,600 items of post, many containing birthday presents for children or gift vouchers for elderly people.

When challenged, she admitted opening up to 20 greetings cards a day during cleaning shifts, pocketing the contents and putting the envelopes in rubbish bags to be thrown away Hayes admitted four charges of theft, committed between June and August last year, at an earlier hearing. Magistrates heard she was given a caution in 2009 for theft from her employer.

In her defence, Richard Middleton said Hayes is doing her best to pay back the money stolen and that she now attends Gamblers Anonymous.

He added: “She has lost a huge amount as a result of this gambling addiction. With the assistance and support of her family and experts she hopes she will not trouble this court again.”