A paignton postman admitted stashing thousands of items of post and flyers in the boot of his car and dumping hundreds more, a court heard yesterday.Stephen Hobbs, 23, of Haytor Avenue, dumped 350 postal packets and hoarded 2,273 more when he worked as a mailman in Paignton.
The court heard the reserve postman has been battling drink and drugs problems and was off work sick when first questioned about a bag of dumped letters found near a Torquay railway embankment.
Magistrates warned him the offences against the Royal Mail were a serious matter and called for further reports before sentencing.
Hobbs appeared before South Devon magistrates, in Newton Abbot, yesterday.
He pleaded guilty to an offence of intentionally delaying the delivery of 2,273 postal packets between June 22, 2007 and January 11, 2008.
He also pleaded guilty to a criminal damage offence involving 350 postal packets belonging to Royal Mail.
Peter Woodley, acting on behalf of Royal Mail, told the court Hobbs had worked as a reserve postman for Royal Mail in Torquay for just under two years.
The investigation swung into action when police were alerted to a dumped bag of Royal Mail letters on woodland, near a railway embankment, towards Torquay. It contained about 350 postal packets, five of which had been opened.
Royal Mail launched an internal investigation, tracing it back to Hobbs, who was meant to have delivered the letters to three different areas.
He was interviewed on January 10 about the allegations. At the time, he had been on sick leave since October.
A search of his car recovered a bin bag full of post in the vehicle's boot. There were 539 intact items and another 1,734 'door to door' flyers.
All were recovered, the court heard.
Mackenzie Robinson told the court the prosecution accepted Hobbs had not opened the items found in the boot of his car.
He said of the items found at the embankment five had been opened. They were discovered six months after they had been dumped. He told magistrates anyone could have found and opened them.
"Of the just over 2,000 items, 1,700 were door to door packets - in other words flyers - and most of them were unasked for circulars which gives a slightly different impression of the mail that was delayed," he added.
He said the case had caused 'great shock and surprise' to Hobbs' family and his client had been going through a 'long' breakdown which included battling drink and drug problems which he was overcoming. He said: "It seems as if he is getting on top of it."
Mr Robinson said Hobbs had been unable to cope with work and 'simply did not deliver some of the mail'.
Magistrates adjourned the case for reports to be prepared. Hobbs was released on unconditional bail and will reappear before magistrates in Torquay, on Monday, June 2.