Luton postal workers to remain behind bars after failed appeal to overturn 1m fraud plot sentence

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TWO postal workers who were caged for their role in a lucrative cheque fraud plot saw their jail terms upheld by senior judges at the Court of Appeal today.

Mohsin Abbas, 37, and Anjam Shah, 38, both of Luton, were part of a gang which stole over £1m during an inside job at the town's sorting office.

Cheques addressed to companies were intercepted as they passed through the post and were fraudulently banked by criminals.

However, the plot was interrupted and the men were arrested and charged.

They each admitted conspiracy to defraud. Abbas was jailed for five years and three months and Shah for four years and one month.

Today, they appealed, but were told by three top judges that their sentences were appropriate for what they did.

"This was an abuse of a position of trust," said Lord Justice Gross at London's Court of Appeal.

"It involved significant planning and was sustained over a period of time."

The court heard Abbas, of Ashburnham Road, had become involved in September 2011 and over £1m worth of cheques were stolen during the time he took part.

Shah, of Tenzing Road, became involved in January 2012 and participated during a period when just under £800,000 of cheques went missing.

The judge said the plot had had a significant impact on the main victims, with business being lost and reputations damaged.

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Lawyers for the pair today argued they should have been given more credit for pleading guilty to the offences.

But Lord Justice Gross said that, despite their guilty pleas, the men had made 'desperate attempts' to minimise the parts they played.

It was only after further investigations they actually owned up to the extent of their involvement, he said.

The appeals were dismissed and the sentences upheld.