Willenhall couple admit false claims on Royal Mail packages

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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A couple tried to pocket £3,000 in compensation claims from Royal Mail for special deliveries they claimed had never arrived, a court heard.
Baljit Nijjar and Parvinder Nijjar outside the court Baljit Nijjar and Parvinder Nijjar outside the court

Parvinder and Baljit Nijjar claimed packages containing £500 cash and a £2,450 diamond ring had not reached their intended destinations after they had sent them.

But it emerged that the couple had never actually sent the packages in the first place and were making the fraudulent claims to clear debts.

The pair had access to documentation needed to lodge a compensation claim because they worked at the post office on Stourbridge High Street, Wolverhampton Magistrates Court heard.

But their con was discovered when it emerged that one of the ‘packages’ was to be delivered just 400 yards from their Willenhall home.

Meanwhile, a mobile number registered to Baljit Nijjar was used on one form claiming she was the intended receiver of the goods, while the other claim form it stated she was the sender.

Prosecutor Mr John Dove told yesterday’s hearing that the claims – made within just three minutes of each other on June 13 – were “bogus” and were authenticated by the completion of forms by the couple.

He explained that the ‘packages’ were never actually sent.

Mr Dove added: “Both these defendants were in a position of trust.

“They abused that trust and generated documentation because they had access to the forms.” The couple, both aged 36, of Marshall Road, Willenhall, indicated a guilty plea to two counts of fraud by false representation.

Mr Richard Quinn, defending, said his clients had three young children and had no previous convictions.

He added: “They acted out of desperation.

“They know scams like this have been caught out in the past and both accept their guilt and are extremely sorry for what they have done.

“This was not sophisticated and was doomed to fail from the start.”

Magistrates told the couple that they were considering a community penalty as punishment for the fraud.

The pair will be sentenced on March 25.

[UnhappyGremlin]

“This was not sophisticated and was doomed to fail from the start.”

Stupidity is no defence. They knew it was wrong and should be punished accordingly.

[postypie]

prison best place for these two con artists.

[UnhappyGremlin]

I agree. Think it's very unlikely. I'd give them 5 years each.

[aiden01]

prison best place for these two con artists.

why prison and not community service like most of the thieving scum get when they are caught.

[POSTMAN]

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Royal Mail fraud couple spared jail

A husband and wife who tried to pocket £3,000 in fake compensation claims from Royal Mail have been spared immediate stints behind bars.

Parvinder and Baljit Nijjar, from Willenhall, said packages containing £500 cash and a £2,450 diamond ring had not reached their intended destinations. But they had never been sent and the couple had falsely filled in forms in a bid to get compensation payouts.

Baljit Nijjar had access to documentation needed to lodge a compensation claim because she worked at the post office on Stourbridge High Street, Wolverhampton Magistrates Court heard yesteday. Her husband had previously worked at the branch and both had run their own post office before being declared insolvent.

The court heard how one of the packages was to be delivered just 400 yards from their Willenhall home in Marshall Road. And a mobile number registered to Baljit Nijjar was used on one form, claiming she was the intended receiver of the goods, while the other claim form stated she was the sender.

Prosecutor Mr John Dove said the claims, which were made within just three minutes of each other on June 13 last year, were an “attempted scam”.

Baljit Nijjar filled the two packets with screwed up paper and gave them to her sister-in-law, who she also worked with at the post office. Her sister-in-law processed them, believing they were genuine. But afterwards Baljit Nijjar removed the parcels from the post bag, and they were never sent, said Mr Dove.

The couple, both aged 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation. Mr Dove said she owed her sister-in-law £7,000 and was working at the post office without wages to help pay off the debt.

Both were given a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £1,155 costs each. They must also carry out 150 hours of unpaid work each.

Chairman of magistrates Mr Dennis Davies said they would have faced an immediate prison term were it not for their early guilty pleas.

Mr Timothy Gascoyne, defending, said his clients had suffered financial difficulties and were now insolvent. He added their scam was “badly conceived” and was “never going to work”. He said they both had new jobs now and were trying to make ends meet.

[UnhappyGremlin]

They've now got jobs. If I were there boss and read this article they wouldn't have it for long. I'd be worried they would get up to a similar scam.