Four men jailed for Post Office fraud in Southampton

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Four men have been jailed after a post office fraud worth over £700,000 in Southampton.

Manish Parmar, who's 34 and from Wilton Road in Southampton, ran the post office with his family within Goldsmith's on Rumbridge Street in Totton.

Although the post office closed in December 2014, Parmar used his knowledge as the former postmaster and one of the post office branch stamps to commit the fraud.

Parmar "recruited" 11 other people to let him use their bank paying in slips from 2015 until early 2016 according to police.

The slips were posted and processed as if the post office was still trading.

A total of £701,835 was paid fraudulently into the bank accounts of Parmar and the others.

Parmar was found guilty on the 15th February 2018 of fraud and two counts of money laundering.

He was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Friday 27th April 2018 to six years and six months in prison.

Ten of the other defendents pleaded guilty to money laundering and were sentenced as follows:

• Asir Karakulah, 35, of Station Road North, Totton - 30 months in prison

• Philip Maidment, 37, of Testbourne Road, Totton - 16 months in prison

• Gareth Hills, 39, of Holmesland Walk, Botley - 16 months in prison

• Mitchell Whitfield, 24, of Oldbarn Close, Calmore - 12 months suspended for two years and has been ordered to carry out 280 hours unpaid work

• Callum McDevitt, 21, of Alfred Close, Totton - 10 months suspended for two years and 280 hours unpaid work

• Connor Veal, 22, of Richmond Close, Calmore - 10 months suspended for two years and 240 hours unpaid work

• Jordan Southwell, 22, of California Close, Totton - eight months suspended for two years and 200 hours unpaid work

• Nori Safi, 23, of Wilton Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire - six months suspended for two years and 180 hours unpaid work

• Fraser McGuigan, 24, of Roundcopse, Dibden - 12 month community order and 180 hours unpaid work

• Daniel Palmer-Nicholls, 21, of Beech Road, Southampton - 12 month community order and 150 hours unpaid work

Police Staff Investigator Jess Swift said: “My thanks go to everyone who was been involved in this long and complex investigation.

“We are delighted to have brought those responsible to justice and this should serve as a warning to anyone who might think that fraud pays - it doesn’t.”