Post driver admits stealing Warrington mail worth £219,000

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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A POSTAL worker has pleaded guilty to stealing mail worth £219,000 he was supposed to deliver.

Paul Doughty, aged 57, worked as a HGV driver for Royal Mail in Warrington.

He was responsible for driving wagon-loads of high value mail - all sent by special delivery - to depots in the area.

Doughty stole 11 large mail bags over a year, taking the parcels and letters to his Liverpool home instead of delivering them.

The Royal Mail employee admitted five counts of theft at Warrington Crown Court on Tuesday.

Doughty, of Devon Court, Aintree, also pleaded guilty to one count of converting criminal property.

Judge David Hale warned he now faces prison.

He said: “You must be under no illusion of what is going to happen.

“Clearly it is a very serious offence.”

The thefts took place between September 2010 and September 2011.

Doughty’s deceit was uncovered in an internal investigation by Royal Mail who placed him under surveillance after suspicions were aroused.

He was arrested on September 10, 2011.

Jonathan Duffy, defending, asked for reports to be carried out before Doughty is sentenced.

He added the defendant is due to go on holiday before his next hearing.

The case was adjourned for sentence until Thursday, May 16.

Wife Pauline Doughty was also due to be prosecuted for one count of converting criminal property.

The case against her has now been dropped, following her husband’s guilty pleas.

Following the hearing Val Bodden, Royal Mail spokesman, said: “Royal Mail has 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.

“It is a criminal offence to tamper with or delay the delivery of mail and anyone caught doing so will face serious disciplinary measures.

“Royal Mail will always seek to prosecute the tiny minority of people who abuse their position of trust.”

[TeeferTiger]

What a t*t!

[RedBagMan]

What's paying for the holiday ???

£219k No way a suspended jobbie here ...

[fishtank]

Doughty’s deceit was uncovered in an internal investigation by Royal Mail who placed him under surveillance after suspicions were aroused.

11 bags of specials and suspicions were only aroused?
I think after the 3rd or 4th bag suspicions should have been aroused,used,abused,spent and enjoying a post coital cigarette.

[UnhappyGremlin]

I like the bit where the judge warns he may be facing prison.

He should have been told he is going to prison, it is only a matter of deciding how long. And as usual, whatever sentence he gets it will be nowhere near enough. It never is.

How did he ever expect to get away with it? The most secure tracked product we provide, an he nicks 11 bags of it. Like it how RM took ages to spot it though.

[maisymoo04]

Hgv as well good job in Royal Mail dead mans shoes job isn't it

[DB1100]

Hgv as well good job in Royal Mail dead mans shoes job isn't it

Or in this case jailed mans shoes.

[rocky4wd]

3 years & 9 months in clink.

& Confiscation of his assets on-going

[maisymoo04]

Can I have his vacancy please

[DGP1]

How many posties have had their honestly questioned because of this knob?

[UnhappyGremlin]

Quite a decent sentence that. Though he'll only do half or thereabouts.
He'll never be employed again. Life ruined, by an incredibly stupid act.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Postie stole £250k - court hears

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A GREEDY postman who pinched nearly a quarter of a million pounds worth of post was stealing to ‘feather his nest’, Warrington Crown Court heard.

Royal Mail launched an investigation in 2011 after a number of customers complained they had not received recorded delivery parcels.

The pattern of missing mail soon pointed to driver Paul Doughty, of Devon Court, Liverpool.

A surveillance operation in August 2011 spotted the Warrington mail centre employee stopping on the hard shoulder of the motorway heading to Birmingham.


Simon Clarke, prosecuting, said: “A Royal Mail investigation found there had been a sustained campaign of theft of special delivery bulk mail often used for sending reasonably high value items including currency and jewellery.

“He was stopping his Royal Mail HGV at the side of the motorway and removing mail sacks and putting them into black bin bags before hiding them in bushes at the road side.

“When he had finished his duty he would return in a private vehicle to collect the bags and disposing of them through what is thought to be a network of buyers.”

He added the total loss to Royal Mail could not be calculated as many people do not report missing post but the company had to pay out £228,935.28 in insurance claims.

The 57-year-old held most of the cash in a number of bank accounts ranging from £10,000 to £25,000 but also splashed the money on a timeshare in the Canary islands and a caravan.

He made no comment to a number of questions during police interview and initially pleaded not guilty.

His wife Pauline Doughty was also accused of having a hand in the operation but the charges were later dropped.

Johnathon Duffy, defending, said Doughty had been an ‘exemplary employee’ for 16 years.

He added: “To his shame as he approached retirement, he gave in to temptation.

“He is dreadfully sorry and the consequences to him and his family are going to be disastrous as everything he has saved and worked for will be taken from him.”

Judge Roger Dutton said he had no choice but to jail Doughty for three years and nine months.

He added: “Those who are employed by Royal Mail have a special position and are regarded as people the public have a high degree of trust.

“You took thorough and complete advantage to feather your own nest while you and your wife were in a healthy financial position.

“This was pure, unadulterated greed.”

[NWpostie]

Only 3 years until retirement all he had to do was work those three years and he would have left with a full pension, house paid for, a reputation intact and a new start in another chapter in his life, instead he will now have to start again no doubt his wife will have divorced him, his house and assets sequestered under proceeds of crime to repay the money stolen and no pension.

Berk !