Drunk postman stashed 31,000 parcels at home

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... -home.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A postman stashed more than 31,000 undelivered parcels and letters at his home - because he was too drunk to complete his rounds.


Steve Tasker, 43, hoarded the "staggering" collection at his home. for up to three and a half years at his house and kept almost 16,000 mail items in or behind his garden shed.

Tasker also wrapped the letters in plastic Farm Foods carrier bags to try and keep them dry because he claimed he would deliver them once he had sobered up,

But Burnley Crown Court, Lancs was told he never got round to taking the post to its rightful destinations, Instead he pocketed at least £200 sent as gifts in cards, including money meant for an 18th birthday.

Tasker, then a postman for 12 years, was eventually put under surveillance by the Royal Mail last September, after reports from the public about mail not being delivered.

On the day he was observed, he didn't start on his walk until noon at the earliest, finished about 2pm and had left more than 300 packets undelivered.

He later admitted he had left the Post Office at about 9am and had then done some shopping, gone home for his breakfast, had some cider, been to the bookies and was drunk.

The hearing was told Tasker, an asthmatic, had a "tough time" at home, looking after his wife and daughter who are both disabled, almost single-handedly- which may have been why he drank too much.

It cost the Royal Mail £1,530 to sort all the undelivered postal packets and finally send them to the rightful recipients.

Tasker, of Burnley, admitted interfering with mail between March 2007 and September 2010, damage, and theft between August and September last year.

He was given 32 weeks in jail, suspended for a year, with 12 months supervision and alcohol treatment and the Thinking Skills programme.

John Gibson, prosecuting for the Royal Mail, said last September 15, Tasker was put under surveillance. At about 4.30pm, officers went to a pouch box and found 331 items of post he was supposed to have delivered that day still there.

Officers, with his agreement, went to search his house and found a "massive interference " with mail.

In the property were 15,253 postal packets, some on top of the fridge and some of them dating back to March 2007. A further 15,831 items were found in the garden shed or behind it, in a bin. About 1,000 packets were water damaged. A total of 43 greetings card-type letters had been opened, between last August and September.

Mr Gibson said Tasker was interviewed and said he had been struggling because of his health. The prosecutor said the Royal Mail would say he had been monitored on light duties after his return from being off sick, had been supervised and had been found to be fit enough to make deliveries.

Mr Gibson said the defendant told officers he had problems at home. He said he had sometimes drunk too much to be able to do his round and he would sometimes have a few pints before he arrived for work at 6am.

He told officers he knew what he had done in opening mail was wrong, but he had probably been drunk at the time and had no money.

The court was told the defendant had a conviction for stealing from his employers in 1994, which was spent by the time he applied to work as a postman.

Mark Stuart, for Tasker, said the vast majority of the post was unopened. He had undoubtedly had a drink problem, health difficulties, family commitments and had been struggling to cope.

His wife had cerebral palsy, epilepsy and a weakness on one side of her body. Their daughter was disabled and attended a special school.

The Royal Mail knew about his alcohol problem, a meeting had been held and he had effectively been told to drink coffee and not alcohol before work. Mr Stuart said Tasker had intended to deliver the mail at some point. The barrister added:"But, tomorrow never came."

Sentencing Tasker, the judge Mr Recorder Phillip Grundy said :"You, as a postman, were in a clear position of trust. We, as members of the public, trusted you."

"But if I were to lock you up, that would punish your wife and daughter and quite frankly, they would struggle. I am giving you a chance. It's having had the benefit of seeing you in court and seeing your wife. That has persuaded me to suspend the sentence.''

[DGP1]

31,000 packets not that it matters but how many were D2Ds?

The reporting makes it seem that it was all packets and parcels.

[chunk]

Im not defending him... clearly hes guilty as charged.
but you are right to question the reporting.
if on my delivery i have 50 packets (anything from a chocolate bar sized to a shoe box)
then im struggling to find space in an HCT.
I doubt you would find space in a three bedroom house for 30,000 packets let alone a garden shed. 6'x12' typical

he didn't start on his walk until noon at the earliest, finished about 2pm and had left more than 300 packets undelivered.

clearly for "packets" you should read "items"
regardless 10 packets is still theft.
as i said before in a thread about another case.
Why are these rogue postman getting away with it for so long ?
could it be that the delivery office managers cant see beyond their daily targets.
The only concern seems to be cutting hours and getting the mail out of the office door.

[clashcityrocker]

31,000 packets not that it matters but how many were D2Ds?

The reporting makes it seem that it was all packets and parcels.

Legally they are postal packets - regardless of the shape size or form.
It does make all reporting of such cases pointless and misleading.

[maisymoo04]

funny az fu@@ he wrapped them in a farmfoods carrier to keep them good until he sobered up classic that,he must off buy one get 30,000 free hahaha (joke)

[Judgee]

Why did it take RM so long to spot this twat, and why was he only given a suspended sentantence? They say it would affect his wife and daughter, if he's a pisshead surely they would be better with carers anyway?

[hampshireman]

Why did it take RM so long to spot this twat, and why was he only given a suspended sentantence? They say it would affect his wife and daughter, if he's a pisshead surely they would be better with carers anyway?

No. Sometimes it is better that the 'pisshead ' remains in the family home. Yes; he has problems but maybe he actually looks after his family ; and then that is what has sent him over the edge.

Experience having a disabled relative before you judge.

[Vosperous]

Not condoning or defending this fellows actions.

The line manager/dom have a lot to answer for in every single one of these cases, many seem to have been going on a for a few years so it's safe to assume that customers complain on year on year yet it seems that no manager picks up on the trend of missing mail being reported.

Incompetence? should royal mail investigate the line managers to find out if there is negligence on their part that contributed to it. a sort of catch all like wilful delay but for managers.

[Judgee]

Why did it take RM so long to spot this twat, and why was he only given a suspended sentantence? They say it would affect his wife and daughter, if he's a pisshead surely they would be better with carers anyway?

No. Sometimes it is better that the 'pisshead ' remains in the family home. Yes; he has problems but maybe he actually looks after his family ; and then that is what has sent him over the edge.

Experience having a disabled relative before you judge.

Yes I have actually and does this:

"He later admitted he had left the Post Office at about 9am and had then done some shopping, gone home for his breakfast, had some cider, been to the bookies and was drunk."

....Sound like a good carer to you???

[stokes11eg]

There are lots of us who care for disabled and sick relatives--still wouldn't make me steal---or get drunk, or use our loved ones as an excuse for getting drunk--

[mailroyaly]

didn't even go to prison, what a joke the justice system is.
The judge is basically saying if you're a carer u can steal what u want.
Whoever said crime doesn't pay never lived in england.

[claretandblue]

to be fair his wife has epilepsy and cerabal palsay and his daughter is disabled, the judge seeing his wife in court said he changed his decision. Also there was no attempt to steal he just never got round to finishing his delivery. I wouldn't have like to live his life put it that way.

[stokes11eg]

to be fair his wife has epilepsy and cerabal palsay and his daughter is disabled, the judge seeing his wife in court said he changed his decision. Also there was no attempt to steal he just never got round to finishing his delivery. I wouldn't have like to live his life put it that way.

Sadly, 43 items of mail(IE cards) were indeed opened! Although unerstanding the pressures, as lots of us have these problems too--why open the cards!