Postal manager caught stealing

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A ROYAL Mail manager has been given a suspended jail sentence for stealing money from his workplace.

Michael Bowley was caught on CCTV taking cash from special delivery packets.

Exeter magistrates heard that 40-year-old Bowley, who had been involved in investigating possible wrongdoing by other postal workers, had a gambling problem.

CCTV shown in court showed him taking banknotes and cash then stuffing a docket and envelope into a bin.

He faced two charges of theft including taking a postal packet to the value of £86.11 on May 23, and a second packet valued at £98.30 on June 6 belonging to Royal Mail from the firm's offices in Exmouth.

Bowley, of Monkton Road, Honiton, had entered not guilty pleas but admitted the second charge halfway through the trial.

Royal Mail prosecutor Nick Bradley said the defendant was a manager with the Royal Mail at the time the offences were said to have occurred.

He said: "The two allegations arise out of his position as delivery office manager at Exmouth. Bowley was to admit to officers investigating that he had a gambling problem. It may be a relevant factor to what happened."

The court heard the cash was made up of surcharges paid by customers for mail which had been posted without the correct value of stamps on.

Each week, postal worker Tracey Sellick counted up the cash which was stored in the safe before it was posted by special delivery to the Royal Mail's revenue centre in Peterborough.

The court heard she was away on both occasions and she had asked Bowley to send off the cash packets which are on a "track and trace system", said Mr Bradley.

He said: "In simple terms, we say that he did not do that and took the packages."

The court heard that senior staff at the Royal Mail set up a surveillance system in a bid to catch the culprit.

On the second occasion investigators fitted a secret CCTV system which showed Bowley taking money from the cash box in the safe before putting it back.

But they saw him take a package which he was meant to send off to Peterborough.

Mr Bradley said: "He did not send it off. What he did was to open it, and remove the cash which he pocketed."

Investigators then recovered the cash from him.

In interview, Bowley denied any knowledge of the first incident and in the second incident, say he only intended to borrow the money.

Mr Bradley said Bowley had no previous convictions and was of previous good character.

He was jailed for 10 weeks, suspended for two years.

He was also given a 10-week curfew and ordered to pay £500 towards costs.

[arnold cheshire]

he should go prison utter rubbish if it was a postie i bet they would be going prison