Postman stashed hundreds of letters in his shed

[RobertT]

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Leek-pos ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

POSTMAN Christopher Salt stashed hundreds of letters and leaflets in his shed – because he cut short his round to care for his mum.
The 47-year-old father worked for Royal Mail as a postman from its Leek delivery office for 18 years.

But after his mum had a stroke he started going home to check on her before delivering all the post.
In total he failed to deliver 407 postal packets and 238 door to door postal packets between May 25, 2010 and June 9, 2014.

Now Salt has been handed a community order with supervision by Stafford magistrates.
Patrick Nelson, prosecuting for Royal Mail, said Salt was suspended from his duties on June 9.
Mr Nelson said: “He was investigated as part of an alleged delay of mail on his round.

“He was cautioned and confirmed he had some mail at his home. He consented to a search. A shredder was found in his bedroom and 10 items with visible addresses.
“In the shed there were a further 397 normal postal packets and 238 door to door items.”
Salt, of Westwood Road, Leek, pleaded guilty to intentionally delaying 407 postal packets and 238 door to door postal packets in the course of their transmission by post between May 25, 2010 and June 9, 2014.

Tacarat Hussain, mitigating, said Salt has no previous convictions.
His mum suffered a stroke in 2011 which drew his attention away from his duties.
Mr Hussain said many of the postal packets were political leaflets, 254 promoting the Labour Party and 70 Liberal Democrat leaflets.

Mr Hussain said: “The public would say they were junk mail.”
But he conceded there were 28 letters to individuals dated June 6 and 27 dated May 23.
Mr Hussain said: “His mind was on his mother. He has left in the middle of rounds and gone straight home to check on his mother. That was the sole reason, there was no financial gain. He just had to get home to see if she was OK.

“He was the sole carer for her and she suffers from dementia.”
Salt is now unemployed and suffers from anxiety and depression.
He told his probation officer he began to consume alcohol on a daily basis and would drink half a bottle or a bottle of vodka a day. He was diagnosed as having sclerosis of the liver in October 2013 and can no longer drink.

He was also suffering from problems with his feet and he had difficulty walking. In his own words he was ‘not with it’.
Salt was assessed as being a low risk of re-conviction.
Magistrates sentenced Salt to a 12 month community order with supervision and fined him £100. He must also pay £31.76 compensation, a £60 surcharge and £400 costs.

[Surreypostie]

I've actually got a little sympathy for this bloke, I don't usually have any. He should have gone to his DOM and told him and then if he had no support from RM which may have avoided this he could have gone sick.

[El-Bandito]

This chancer was in the job for 18 years. He should have known better. Stashing packets and shredding mail and whatever else he got away with for over 4 years is criminal. He got off lightly. He just had a good lawyer. Good to see that I.B. where on the ball with this one. 4 YEARS really!!!!

[Thunderthighs]

Maybe he wanted to practice some Segging in his own time?

[westham000]

Reading between the lines, I think he was using his mother has an excuse. I think he had a drink problem and just couldn't cope with the job. He has now lost a good job, pension, shares and other benefits. And has lost the respect of his former colleagues and friends. 18 years thrown away. He should have seen his DOM and arranged to see the welfare officer . Help is available within the business to those who ask.