Stunned post office boss jailed for theft

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A shamed sub-postmaster was yesterday jailed for 18 months for stealing more than £55,000 from the Post Office.

Ian Kirk, who ran the post office at Sway Newsagents, had claimed he was burgled while he was in the toilet.

But jurors at Bournemouth Crown Court did not believe his version of events and found him guilty of the theft of £55,180 between November 2003 and July 2006.


The court heard how transactions had been recorded by members of staff on a computer system.

Kirk, 58, of Station Road, Sway, attempted to hide his tracks by "cooking the books" but the Post Office had been alerted by the branch keeping too much money on the premises overnight.

Numerous requests were made to return several thousand pounds but Kirk did not comply.

Prosecutor Warwick Tatford said "the cat slipped out of the bag" when investigators went to find out what was going on.

Initially Kirk "fobbed them off" before insisting he had been the victim of a theft some weeks earlier.

When interviewed, he said he had been putting £60,000 into pouches in order to return it. When he came back from the toilet he found it had gone and panicked.

In his defence, James Leonard said Kirk was a man of previous good character with "an impeccable character and reputation in the community".

He added: "Every penny was repaid within months of it going missing."

Sentencing Kirk, Judge John Beashel told him: "I accept this is a tragedy for you and your family.

"You have lost your good name and I'm afraid you are going to lose your liberty.

"You continued to be in denial when the evidence against you was overwhelming.

"There was no need to steal the money; you had a successful business and you grossly abused the trust placed in you."

Kirk looked stunned as he was led away.

7:00pm Friday 18th January 2008