Richard Wheatley: Sub postmaster who took money from PO

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Richard Wheatley: Sub postmaster who took money from Post Office account spared jail

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-w ... ho-6107584" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

He has sixth month prison term suspended for a year and must pay more than £10,000 in compensation

A SUB postmaster who propped up his own general store business by taking money from the Post Office accounts has been spared immediate custody.

Richard Wheatley, 63, of Glan y Don sub post office in Mostyn, received a six month prison sentence suspended for a year and was ordered to pay £10,185 compensation and £1,400 prosecution costs. Judge Niclas Parry, sitting at Mold Crown Court, gave him 12 months to pay.

The court heard how Wheatley, who had no previous convictions, had since resigned and that his home and business was up for sale so that all money could be paid back.

“The aggravating feature of this case is obvious,” Judge Parry told him.

“This was a breach of the trust placed in you to run the Post Office using public money.”

But rather than protect the financial interests of the Post Office, he had abused that position to make a gain for himself.

There were elements of sophistication in the way he went about it and the judge said that the public would be alarmed if any other sentence than custody was imposed.

But he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and made immediate admissions to auditors who turned up.

He was genuinely remorseful, was a man of good character, who not only had no previous convictions but who had contributed positively to his community.

Wheatley had acted out of character and had lost his good name.

“You were robbing Peter to pay Paul for you to carry on serving the community that you have served so well,” he said.

He was “propping up a business” rather than living any kind of life of luxury.

John Gibson, prosecuting for the Post Office, said that when auditors turned up on April 10 he told them that they would find a shortfall about £7,000. But the shortfall turned out to be £10,185.

Interviewed, he made full admissions and said he had used the money to prop up the retail side of the business.

Duncan Bould, defending, stressed that his client had made immediate admissions when the audit group turned up, and he had since resigned. He was very ashamed and remorseful

[UnhappyGremlin]

How do they expect to get away with it?
POL are very aggressive when it comes to their money.