Undelivered mail found by ex-wife

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/925972 ... y_ex_wife/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A CITY postman has avoided jail despite admitting hoarding more than 6,000 items of undelivered mail.

Allan Brimblecombe, of Mayfair Road, Cowley, admitted at Oxford Magistrates’ Court to tampering with post destined for Oxford homeowners and businesses.

The 47-year-old’s haul of post was discovered as his ex-wife cleared out the garage and shed at their former marital home.

Police discovered packages dating back over five years.

Brimblecombe claimed he had been doing overtime and taken the mail home to “kill it off”.

Last night, Royal Mail said it had a “zero tolerance” policy to dishonesty in the postal service.

Simon Graham-Harrison, prosecuting on behalf of the Royal Mail, said: “Mr Brimblecombe was employed as a postman at the Oxford city delivery office in Oxpens Road from 2002 up until his dismissal.

“He separated from his wife who cleared his belongings and came across a quantity of mail.”

Among the stacks of post Brimblecombe was hoarding were 2,831 addressed items and 3,400 items of junk mail, Mr Graham-Harrison told the court.

After his ex-wife’s discovery on April 26, Brimblecombe was arrested on suspicion of theft of mail and his former home was searched.

Mr Graham-Harrison said when questioned the postman “indicated he had been doing a lot of overtime and had taken the mail home to ‘kill it off’ – deliver it in his own time – but had forgotten to do so.

“He explained that it had built up,” said Mr Graham-Harrison.

Brimblecombe admitted in August one charge of opening postal packages or causing intentional delay to the mail.

He also admitted to another charge of acquiring criminal property and was sentenced to 240 hours of unpaid work on Friday.

The dad-of-two was also ordered to pay £1,636 costs to the Royal Mail for its investigation and prosecution and was given a 12-week jail sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Along with the stacks of mail were 108 rental DVDs from the lovefilm company, found in the garage, which investigations revealed were bound for homes in Oxford, but were never delivered.

Charlotte De-Rosnay, defending, told the court Brimblecombe denied stealing the DVDs, explaining he had bought them from car boot sales and pubs for about 50p each, but admitted that he thought they were “dodgy”.

She said: “He did have a suspicion they were dodgy. He realises now the seriousness of the offence.”

The admission was enough for him to be charged under the proceeds of crime act with acquiring criminal property.

Referring to the thousands of packages and parcels found undelivered in his former marital home Ms De-Rosnay added: “His marriage was going through a breakdown at the time.”

The court heard on Thursday, Brimblecombe was of previous good character and had worked all his life and was “upset and regretful” about his crimes.

A Royal Mail spokesman said “Every item of mail is very important to us. Royal Mail has a zero tolerance approach to any dishonesty and this 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.”

[fishtank]

[daveyeff]

women eh,......they know how to turn the screws.

[fishtank]

Mr Graham-Harrison said when questioned the postman “indicated he had been doing a lot of overtime and had taken the mail home to ‘kill it off’ – deliver it in his own time

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I don't think that means deliver it in his own time.

[chelseachris]

Its a pity royal mail did'nt have a zero tolerance when it comes to letting packages and parcels lie in offices undelivered for days on end.

[daveyeff]

Its a pity royal mail did'nt have a zero tolerance when it comes to letting packages and parcels lie in offices undelivered for days on end.

i,m sure they do, they just dont know about it.

[pants123]

with royal mail driving its work force into the ground, expecting posties to do impossible deliveries,, there is going to be national wide spread incidents of this nature happening... so ROYAL MAIL if you don't what this to happen STOP KILLING YOUR WORK FORCE.............

[arnold cheshire]

with royal mail driving its work force into the ground, expecting posties to do impossible deliveries,, there is going to be national wide spread incidents of this nature happening... so ROYAL MAIL if you don't what this to happen STOP KILLING YOUR WORK FORCE.............

he was doing overtime or more like just taking it home and booking the docket

[Darren Bent]

Royal Mail don't notice it happening again. I wonder how many times did this happens.