WOMAN FACES JAIL FOR THEFT OF MAIL - RANDOM DRUG TESTING ?

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Another Druggie Caught


11:00 - 26 February 2008

A postal worker who stole more than 300 letters and packages while she worked for the Royal Mail has been told she faces a spell behind bars.

Linsey Mayo admitted to magistrates stealing a total of 341 items she had been delivering to addresses in Teignmouth.A police investigation discovered a stash of post under the 34-year-old's mattress - the majority of which had been opened.

The offences of theft from an employer and breach of trust can be punished with a maximum of 12 months in prison, or committed to the Crown Court.

Magistrates sitting at Torquay heard Mayo estimates she stole between £100 and £200 from the postal items between June 1 and September 11 2007, when she was spotted by a member of the public opening a greetings card.

When police arrested her, she was found to have a glue stick in her bag, plus an opened greetings card and £25 loose cash in her bag.

A search of her Dawlish Road home revealed the true extent of Mayo's 'breach of trust'.

Niall Brooks, prosecuting for the Royal Mail, told the court: "There was a search of her premises and a bundle of postal packets were discovered under her mattress and from a shoe box on top of the washing machine.

"She said she only started doing it when it had been raining and she noticed a £20 note sticking out of an envelope. She said she had been struggling living on her own and only used the money for food and day-to-day items."

Of the 341 postal items stolen, 63 had not been opened and 58 had been tampered with.

Mayo told police she was too tired to deliver the 63 items and was planning to put these plus the 58 resealed packages back in the post.

Following the discovery, Royal Mail ensured the post was delivered, along with letters of apology.

One lady reported a rare Roman coin was missing, which Mayo initially denied but later handed to the police when she was issued with a summons to appear in court.

When interviewed on November 2, a small quantity of amphetamines was found in Mayo's possession for which she received a caution.

In mitigation, Michael Zahara told the court Mayo was declared bankrupt in October last year, after she was arrested and sacked by the Royal Mail.

She pleaded guilty to four charges and magistrates decided the probation service should carry out a pre-sentence report.

Keith Yelland, chairman of the bench, told Mayo that she had breached the trust of her employer and the public.

He said: "Custody is our starting point according to guidelines. The aggravating factors are the length of time - over three months - and the number of packages.

"Money taken belonged to people who obviously trust the postal service and had every faith that their letters and packages would get through. But they were intercepted by you.

"We are suggesting to the probation service from what we have heard so far that custody should be a real option here."

Mayo was released on unconditional bail to reappear at Torquay court for sentencing on March 13.

A spokesman for the company said: "We don't comment on individual personnel issues but we have a zero tolerance approach to any dishonesty and that stance is shared by the overwhelming majority of postmen and women, who are honest and hardworking and who do all they can to protect the mail and deliver it safely.

"We will always seek to prosecute the tiny minority of people who abuse their position of trust."

Anybody in Teignmouth who is concerned can contact Royal Mail's customer services line on 08457 740740.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Should we have a debate on random drug testing within Royal Mail. In fact I have worked under "Random Drug Testing" rules before and I can see both the benefits and pitfalls.


As they say in some Chat Rooms - Discuss

[DGP1]

Random drug testing flags up too many false positives because any codine based painkiller will give a positive result for cocaine. Plus there are so many in my DO on the wacky baccy that we'd lose half or staff

[k979aaa]

Random drug testing flags up too many false positives because any codine based painkiller will give a positive result for cocaine. Plus there are so many in my DO on the wacky baccy that we'd lose half or staff

And not just in your office. I say NO and not because i take drugs but for it is so easy to get rid of staff who do nothing wrong , how easy is it to doctor the results for royalmail's benifit?. FOR I DO NOT HOPE WE ARE ALL DOPE'PY HEAD'S TO THE SITUATION AND WE CAN INJECT SOMETHING INTO THIS DEBATE!.

[Carnoustie]

There is absolutely no truth in the rumour that a manager in my office was given a dope test and achieved a score of 100%

[k979aaa]

There is absolutely no truth in the rumour that a manager in my office was given a dope test and achieved a score of 100%

Must have been off the scale!.

[baldrick]

A lot of the managers (allegedly) might be found to have been using the Colombian marching powder.

[andy2007]

Random drug testing flags up too many false positives because any codine based painkiller will give a positive result for cocaine. Plus there are so many in my DO on the wacky baccy that we'd lose half or staff

Although random drug testing has caught a large number of cheating Athletes, there are still a few who get false positives. From "over the counter" medication. Considering the kind of money at stake when the make such mistakes, they must be trying to be careful. Yet they still get falsly accused. So I would personally, be very worried, should random testing start.

But is there an alternative?

As for large numbers using "waccy baccy" at work: if that's true, I sincerely hope that they aren't driving, or operating equipment!

Perhaps a better idea, would be to ask the CWU to lobby Government for a change in the Law, to give stiffer sentences for those who steal from the Mail to fund their habbit.

ATOS offer help for those who want to get off drugs. So hopefully, the risk of getting a stiffer sentence, would encourage more people to take them up on their offer of help.

[DGP1]

As for large numbers using "waccy baccy" at work: if that's true, I sincerely hope that they aren't driving, or operating equipment! ;Shocked

They don't use it at work but they do use at home and apart from a strange love of Lion Bars nothing seems to affect their work.

[Fluke]

As for large numbers using "waccy baccy" at work: if that's true, I sincerely hope that they aren't driving, or operating equipment! ;Shocked

They don't use it at work but they do use at home and apart from a strange love of Lion Bars nothing seems to affect their work.

Some of the weed heads smoke the crap at work in my place. Some times you can smell it in the toilets and they seem to gather in a separate huddle from other smokers when they are having a puff. Nothing will ever happen as the DOM is a self proclaimed weedhead although I've never seen him doing it at work. Although some of his idea's would indicate otherwise.

Being ex forces I have already worked in an environment that had compulsory drug testing, and had no problems with it. However, I agree with the other posters that there is a possibility that mistakes (false negatives) could be made. Any results would need to be verified.

The overall added costs to the business of compulsory random drugs testing would make the whole thing too expensive to do, and the benefits of doing it are negligible.

[norbert]

As for large numbers using "waccy baccy" at work: if that's true, I sincerely hope that they aren't driving, or operating equipment! ;Shocked

They don't use it at work but they do use at home and apart from a strange love of Lion Bars nothing seems to affect their work.

Some of the weed heads smoke the crap at work in my place. Some times you can smell it in the toilets and they seem to gather in a separate huddle from other smokers when they are having a puff. Nothing will ever happen as the DOM is a self proclaimed weedhead although I've never seen him doing it at work. Although some of his idea's would indicate otherwise.

Being ex forces I have already worked in an environment that had compulsory drug testing, and had no problems with it. However, I agree with the other posters that there is a possibility that mistakes (false negatives) could be made. Any results would need to be verified.

The overall added costs to the business of compulsory random drugs testing would make the whole thing too expensive to do, and the benefits of doing it are negligible.

Fifteen years ago it was £800 a time for compulsory random drug & alcohol testing under The Transport Act 92, that was to eliminate the p***y culture dating back from the 60's which did need stamping out .

As Joe Public could assume staff were going out on safety critical jobs , the practice of staff in uniform propping up the bar was stamped out .Garish uniforms such as purple pants , red shirts and green jackets were not introduced for nothing .

Reps could have problems defending staff when RM have genuinely got people bang to rights . A Union area organiser had to read the riot act to the bent , useless ale can of a Branch Chairman once.

You can guarantee if RM did bring out a robust Drugs and Alcohol Policy , there would be a hysterical disproportionate response , idiots stopping at nothing to impress other idiots in charge , botch ups , false negatives etc .

It would be a crude tool used in the usual very autocratic , unprofessional , oversimplified and literal manner for union bashing and settling petty vendettas . There would be managers scared of their own shadows due to pressure from on high and a blind eye turned to "favored sons" causing a lot of resentment . Managers would be going on scurrilous gossip and subsequently matters would soon descend into high farce .

RM if nothing else are always consistent . There would be plenty of trips to the Tribunal with RM "Handling".

[Thorby Bislam]

FOR I DO NOT HOPE WE ARE ALL DOPE'PY HEAD'S TO THE SITUATION AND WE CAN INJECT SOMETHING INTO THIS DEBATE!.

I see what you did there.

[DGP1]

So there is no truth in the rumour that we are to be given speed whenever we get into work

[dvbuk55]

So there is no truth in the rumour that we are to be given speed whenever we get into work

Once again you have misunderstood the interpretation of speed - they aren't giving it TO you. , it's what they expect FROM you when you're on delivery. and quite right too, what with the recent pay rise, pay rise pending and the real option of earning another five years pay.

[andy2007]

As for large numbers using "waccy baccy" at work: if that's true, I sincerely hope that they aren't driving, or operating equipment! ;Shocked

They don't use it at work but they do use at home and apart from a strange love of Lion Bars nothing seems to affect their work.

Would it still show up on a test, if someone had used "waccy baccy" at the weekend?