Painswick Postmistress stole parcels as revenge against RM

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Painswick Post Office worker 'stole parcels as revenge against Royal Mail' trial hears

http://www.gloucestercitizen.co.uk/Pain ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TWO parcels containing jewellery which went missing in the post proved that Painswick postmistress Karen Judd was a thief, a jury was told yesterday.

An investigation was launched by Royal Mail after the parcels posted by retired jeweller Graham Nash on December 12 and 17 2012 did not arrive, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

The probe led to six other parcel thefts being uncovered – and all were the responsibility of Judd, alleged prosecutor Richard Cole.

He said she committed the total of eight thefts over a six month period when she was in debt and seeking revenge against Royal Mail after being suspended in a separate investigation into a cash deficiency at the post office.

Judd, 42, of New Street, Painswick, actually admitted some of the thefts to investigators, he said – but she now denies them all.

She has pleaded not guilty to theft of packets and special delivery packets containing clothing, jewellery, a Samsung mobile phone, a carriage clock, a Blackberry phone, 65 Canadian dollars, 25 Euros and an iPod Nano as well the two items of jewellery sent by Mr Nash.

All the alleged offences are said to have been committed between September 24 2012 and March 6 2013.

On December 12 Mr Nash posted a brooch as special delivery at Painswick Post Office and asked for £500 insurance on it.

Judd dealt with the transaction and did so again on December 17 when Mr Nash posted two rings in the same manner, the prosecutor said. Both items were of significant sentimental value to their owners, he said. They never arrived at their destinations.

When Mr Nash discovered they had gone missing he complained to Royal Mail and an investigator looked into it. The investigator immediately suspected Judd.

He did a check on all other losses of parcels which went through Painswick Post Office and found that none occurred on Fridays when Judd was not working. During August 2012 when she was suspended over another matter there had been only one parcel go missing.

As a result of her suspension she had been ordered to repay a deficiency of £4,500 in six months – and it was in that repayment period that all the parcels were taken, Mr Cole said. The investigator looking into the thefts posted a parcel at Judd’s Post Office to test her honesty, he said. It contained a greetings card, iPod Nano, and 25 Euros. All the items had been secretly marked.

When the package was not delivered she was arrested. The iPod Nano was found in a drawer behind her counter and the 25 marked Euros in another drawer. She claimed someone had found the iPod in the street and handed it in.

Other property including a carriage clock, Galaxy phone and a Blackberry phone were also found – all allegedly stolen from parcels she had dealt with, Mr Cole said,.

The trial continues.