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Stephen Robert Crosby had been working for the Royal Mail for 13 years - he pleaded guilty to theft by an employee and two charges of fraud
Trial: Crosby sobbed in court as it was revealed his children did not know about the case
A thieving postman stole mail intended for Liverpool Football Club after racking up £14,000 in gambling debts.
Stephen Robert Crosby, 39, was also caught with birthday cards sent by members of the public stuffed in his pocket and an Amazon Kindle tablet.
The 39-year-old received a four month prison sentence suspended for two years at Liverpool Magistrates' Court.
The Royal Mail worker of 13 years had pleaded guilty to four charges of theft by an employee and two charges of fraud at an earlier hearing.
Crosby sobbed in court as his solicitor Louise Bauress said his children, aged 16 and ten, were unaware of the case, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Garry Coghlan, prosecuting, told the court: "The defendant was employed by the Royal Mail on indoor rehab duties after being off work with stress.
"His duties included sorting mail for delivery and dealing with undeliverable mail, which is how he may have began to offend."
Mr Coghlan said suspicions had been raised after a number of pre-paid first class envelopes, designed for use only on Royal Mail business, were discovered on mail in post boxes around the L26 area.
One of the packages was traced to a man who had purchased a football ticket from auctioning website Ebay.
Mr Coghlan told the court Royal Mail investigators made a test purchase from this account and discovered the seller was offering free postage.
The seller was later identified as Crosby.
When challenged on October 9 last year, he admitted taking 144 pre paid envelopes, as well as stealing the Kindle from a postbag marked return to sender.
He also confessed to taking five greeting cards that day, which were in his pocket.
The envelope addressed to Liverpool Football Club was found in his house, minus its contents.
Ms Bauress said: " The defendant has never been before the courts before and has never been arrested or in any trouble.
"He was very tearful when discussing the offences and he completely understands he has betrayed the trust of the Royal Mail and the public."
The court heard he had been under considerable stress at work after a van accident in 2013, and had been diagnosed with depression.
Ms Bauress said he had run up debts of £14,000 by overspending on his credit cards and had admitted a gambling problem.
The offences took place between October 2012 and September last year.
As well as the suspended sentence Crosby was also ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work, to pay investigation costs to Royal Mail of £1,666 and to pay a £60 victim surcharge.