In debt postman burned junk mail (From Wirral Globe)

In debt postman burned junk mail

9:22am Monday 20th August 2007

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A POSTMAN with debts took on extra delivery work involving door-to-door items.

But instead of making the deliveries he disposed of the items, sometimes by burning them in an incinerator he purchased, Wirral Magistrates heard.

Mark Davies, 41, of Spencer Avenue, Rock Ferry, pleaded guilty to two allegations of attempting to damage a total of 5,873 postal packets belonging to the Royal Mail Group, two offences of making false representations to make gain in that he had delivered a total of 52 door to door contracts, one matter of delaying postal packets, and one matter of damaging postal packets by fire.

Prosecutor Julie Fitzgerald said Davies had been employed at New Ferry for two years, three months. An investigation took place after it was suspected he was not delivering some of the items allotted to him.

On two occasions bin bags were recovered from outside his home containing a total of 5,873 items. Also burned items were found in the incinerator. Davies admitted buying the incinerator and burning about 2,000 items.

John Fearns, defending, said Davies had debts of around £25,000 in addition to his mortgage. He took on extra work sometimes on behalf of colleagues but there was not enough time to make the deliveries.

But he said all the items of proper mail had been delivered by Davies.

Mr Fearns said Davies was very remorseful and he was embarrassed and upset over the offences. Magistrates told Davies it was a serious breach of trust even though the items involved were so called junk mail.

They ordered Davies to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.

He must pay £142 compensation for money paid for deliveries, £300 costs for the Post Office investigation and £100 court costs.

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