Postman jailed after hoarding hundreds of pieces of mail and

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Postman jailed after hoarding hundreds of pieces of mail and stealing money from envelopes

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A postman has been jailed after hoarding 709 pieces of mail - which included opening a sympathy card to look for money.

David Ronan, 32, was given a four-month sentence for stealing two pieces of post containing a total of £45 and keeping a stash of mail in his house and car.

Investigators at the Royal Mail became suspicious after reports of missing post and launched a sting operation. Ronan, of Esther Street, Greenacres, was caught out after failing to deliver a piece of mail - keeping the money inside instead for petrol and to place a bet.

Elizabeth Rigby, prosecuting, told the court six trick packages had been prepared to see if Ronan was failing to deliver mail. She added: "He failed to deliver one of the items, with £25 in cash, and failed to complete his delivery. Detectives approached him at 4.35pm that day at his address. "The search resulted in 709 addressed postal packages dated between September 20 and October 5 2011. "The defendant explained that he had too much mail, he was trying to catch up and knew he would get in trouble if returned to the office. He admitted opening the prepared package and spent the money on petrol and a bet."

Ronan claimed that during his short spell of employment at Oldham's Royal Mail – three months – his round had become too busy to cope with. He told investigators he intended to deliver the pile of post by bundling small amounts in with his round each day.

Mrs Rigby told magistrates: "He said the wages weren't great, he had debts and child maintenance. Things got on top of him." Ronan admitted two counts of theft of mail, attempted theft of mail and delaying postal packages when he appeared before Oldham magistrates on Tuesday. Chris Fallows, defending, told the court how opening the sympathy card had a 'great emotional effect' on Ronan.

Mr Fallows added: "He was struggling with the quantity of the post given to deliver. It was his intention to work it off by taking various items from those satchels and put them in his delivery round, unfortunately that didn't happen." Ronan was handed two months in prison, to run consecutively, for both counts of theft. He was not sentenced for the other two charges. Vivenne Morgan, chairman of the bench, told Ronan: "Cases of thefts by postal workers are not only a breach of trust but also cause alarm and distress to the members of the public."

ANOTHER postman hid more than 34,000 packages at his home over an 18-month period while working for the Royal Mail. Anthony Clifford Brierley, 49, intentionally delayed 11,898 addressed letters and packages as well as 21,686 door-to-door items instead of delivering them to the correct addresses. Brierley, of Oldham Road, Failsworth, was caught out by Royal Mail investigators after post had been reported missing. It was also discovered that 831 packages had been stolen between November 2010 and September 2011 by Brierley, who pleaded guilty at Oldham magistrates' court last week to theft of mail and engaging in the business of delaying and opening postal packets. He will appear at crown court for sentencing on February 27.

[Lounge Lizard]

"David Ronan, 32, was given a four-month sentence" not suspended.

[stokes11eg]

And on it goes. Theft. Gives us all a bad name.

[mazza111]

Still nice to see a custodial sentence for this instead of the usual slap on the wrist, although 4 months isn't really much is it

[stokes11eg]

Still nice to see a custodial sentence for this instead of the usual slap on the wrist, although 4 months isn't really much is it

Probablt re employ him when he gets out!

[slave]

Still nice to see a custodial sentence for this instead of the usual slap on the wrist, although 4 months isn't really much is it

Not condoning his actions and he deserves to be punished but in some ways it's perhaps a little harsh when compared to sentences of other scum, who, in our screwed up society, get far less for far worse...

[DGP1]

Still nice to see a custodial sentence for this instead of the usual slap on the wrist, although 4 months isn't really much is it

Not condoning his actions and he deserves to be punished but in some ways it's perhaps a little harsh when compared to sentences of other scum, who, in our screwed up society, get far less for far worse...

They normally get a big payment and then go into government