http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... years.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hardingham, 61, stashed the mountain of mail in his car and a shed at his home
A postman who has stolen over 11,000 items of post since 1993 says he is "so sorry" for what he did
A postman who stole 11,235 items of mail over 22 years has walked free from court.
John Hardingham's remarkable haul stretched back to 1993 and included everything from bank letters to greeting cards and junk mail, the court heard on Wednesday.
Hardingham, 61, stashed the mountain of mail in his car and a shed at his home in Smallburgh, north Norfolk. District judge Peter Veits gave him a 40-week jail sentence suspended for a year and ordered him to do 100 hours unpaid work and pay £460 costs.
Judge Veits told Hardingham at Norwich magistrates' court: "This is a serious offence.
"People have a right to hope their post will be delivered and not end up in a postman's garden.
"It is a serious breach of trust."
Hardingham, who started working for Royal Mail 35 years ago in North Walsham, Norfolk, admitted two theft charges.
He told the court he did not remember taking the letters home in the 1990s but admitted he should have sought help at some point.
Hardingham was finally caught in June this year when police were called to his home over another matter.
Stunned police found a pile of undelivered post in an outbuilding and his car.
His crime spree ranged from December 1993 to July 2015 - over this time he stole 7,000 pieces of junk mail as well as greeting cards, a HSBC bank letter and insurance material.
James Jackson, prosecuting for Royal Mail, said it was not possible to calculate the total value of mail taken over an astonishing two decades.
Mr Jackson said staff are paid extra on top of their salary to deliver junk mail.
Hardingham was quizzed by Royal Mail bosses when he admitted not delivering post and said he did not tell anyone because he feared losing his job.
He quit in August.
Hardingham told the court he had suffered illness and severe depression and is now caring for his disabled father of 88.
He said: "My mother was seriously ill for some years. That's why I left Royal Mail.
"I couldn't cope and was frightened of losing my job.
"I should have seen someone about it."
Hardingham apologised for his actions, saying: "I am so sorry for what has happened.
"I wish I had got help back in the 2000s."
Judge Veits said that only his guilty plea and genuine remorse had kept him out of prison as he suspended his jail term.