Postmaster stole £20,000 to cover shop losses

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A SUB-postmaster admitted stealing £20,000 from his bosses – just weeks after receiving a Hampshire shop of the year award.

Haivor Hughes, 46, who ran the post office at Pilley Stores in the New Forest took the cash to supplement losses at his shop in the recession.

Hughes had secured the shop’s future in 2007 after taking over its lease when it was threatened with closure on the retirement of his predecessor Jim Gibb.

His stealing was discovered when Royal Mail became concerned over cash returns and sent an investigator to go over the books with him.

Hughes admitted he had used about £20,000 to pay bills.

Prosecutor Michael Newbold told Southampton Crown Court that when questioned, Hughes fully admitted what he had done. Initially he thought he had begun stealing from last September but when shown cash records, he accepted he might have started in either June or July.

Hughes said he intended to pay back the cash, which he had since done.

Hughes, of Walkford Lane, New Milton, admitted stealing £19,647.98 and received a 30-week suspended sentence coupled with 120 hours’ unpaid work.

David Stern, mitigating, said Hughes made a strong apology to the court, Royal Mail and the local community for whom he had striven to provide a thriving store. “He feels highly ashamed and embarrassed.”

Mr Stern warned that if he was jailed, the sentence would effectively close down the shop, into which he had put £30,000 of his own money.

“This is not a case of avarice and greed. This offence took place at a time when there was financial pressure, the recession had bitten small businesses badly, and there was a dip in local traffic coming into his store.”

The court heard the father-of-four had been sacked from the Post Office but still ran the shop.

Passing sentence, Judge Derwin Hope said the theft was a serious breach of trust. “But I accept you put a lot of money into the business in the hope it would be a success and I have received letters praising your efforts.”

The Hampshire Shop of the Year title was awarded by the Hampshire County Magazine, which praised Hughes and his business partner, John Frederiksen.