Lee Flanagan, 34, took up to eight packages containing clothing and perfume after being left owing £7,000
A postman who stole parcels to fund his cocaine and gambling debts has walked free after claiming stealing was ''commonplace'' in the Royal Mail.
Lee Flanagan, 34, took up to eight packages containing clothing and perfume after being left owing £7,000. He was caught after a concerned member of the public filmed him opening one of the parcels and handed the footage to Royal Mail chiefs.
Police recovered an Apple iPod Nano from Flanagan's home he shares with his parents in Gorton, Manchester but he admitted selling the other items worth £518 for £400 on the black market. It emerged he had previous convictions for stealing from his employers.
At Manchester Magistrates' Court Flanagan, who has since lost his job, admitted theft and opening parcels but claimed postal thefts were so regular, discussions were held how to do it during training for the job.
He now works as a delivery driver for parcel delivery firm DPD.
The court heard the thefts occurred over a four week period in January when Flanagan who joined the Royal Mail the previous August was working at the Manchester South East delivery office in Ardwick.
Prosecutor Hayley Bennett said: “The Royal Mail started receiving complaints and reports of missing parcels. Five tracked delivery assignments between the 2nd and 23rd of January were confirmed as having been received but when checked the GPS of where they were delivered didn’t match the GPS of where they were supposed to be.
“The brands of these parcels were Zara, Ted Baker and Fragrance.com. The person responsible for the delivery of these parcels was the defendant. The second incident came on 17 January 2019 when the defendant returned a parcel to the depot which was ripped open. He said it had been damaged in transit and he had tried to put it back together but ended up making it worse.
''However a member of the public then came forward with footage of the defendant opening the parcel and then closing it up when he realised he was being filmed. On January 30 a parcel of an iPod Nano failed to deliver.
''Upon a search of the defendant’s house the purple iPod Nano was found in a bedside cabinet. In interview the defendant then admitted more thefts than he was caught for. He said he sold the other items for around £400. He admitted theft of the iPod Nano and other offences from earlier in the month.
“The defendant told police he had problems with drugs and gambling debts and used the money gained from selling the items to fund his habits and said he had incurred debts somewhere in the region of £7,000.
''In February 2019 a parcel was reported as lost or stolen. It was given to Mr Flanagan by a customer to deliver to the post office collection depot but never made it there. The parcel was a mobile phone and flip case. In total the amount stolen comes to just under £500. Royal Mail have so far paid out £115 in refunds. It’s going to cost the Royal Mail over £7,000 in legal costs.''
''However a member of the public then came forward with footage of the defendant opening the parcel and then closing it up when he realised he was being filmed. On January 30 a parcel of an iPod Nano failed to deliver.
''Upon a search of the defendant’s house the purple iPod Nano was found in a bedside cabinet. In interview the defendant then admitted more thefts than he was caught for. He said he sold the other items for around £400. He admitted theft of the iPod Nano and other offences from earlier in the month.
“The defendant told police he had problems with drugs and gambling debts and used the money gained from selling the items to fund his habits and said he had incurred debts somewhere in the region of £7,000.
''In February 2019 a parcel was reported as lost or stolen. It was given to Mr Flanagan by a customer to deliver to the post office collection depot but never made it there. The parcel was a mobile phone and flip case. In total the amount stolen comes to just under £500. Royal Mail have so far paid out £115 in refunds. It’s going to cost the Royal Mail over £7,000 in legal costs.''
"'He dealt with this breakup by getting involved with old friends and drinking and taking cocaine. He used his disposable income at the time for cocaine and alcohol binges.
''Whilst browsing the internet he got involved with online gambling. Combined with his alcohol and cocaine use, this gambling addiction resulted in him having evenings where he wouldn’t sleep and would sit online gambling away his entire salary in an evening whilst high on cocaine.
“His decision to steal was eventually justified to himself. Mr Flanagan says stealing is almost commonplace in the Royal Mail and it is something which is even discussed in training - but he understands the seriousness of it now. He feels the drug and gambling use is no longer an issue and says it was strictly confined to this period of time.
“The relationship with his partner is now repaired somewhat - and they’re working on it.”
Flanagan was sentenced nine months jail suspended for 18 months and was ordered to complete 180 hours unpaid work. He will also pay £1,295 in costs and surcharges.
JPs said: “We do believe this has crossed the custody threshold but we are going to suspend your sentence. If you commit another crime or fail to comply with this community order, there is no question that you will be sent straight to prison.”