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A Royal Mail worker’s 30-year career ended in shame after he was caught stealing special delivery parcels.
John Brown was working in the Cramlington delivery office when he carried out the thefts over several months.
The 56-year-old admitted he was taking around two parcels a week and would sell the contents inside. It was estimated he made about £1,000 from selling the items.
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When his home was searched, a number of products were found, including a Samsung tablet, laptop, a Nintendo Switch games console, headphones and four silver bullion bars.
Royal Mail prosecuted him for the theft of 40 parcels and Brown, of Cockburn Terrace, Percy Main, North Shields, pleaded guilty to the offence.
He was facing a prison sentence but was spared a spell behind bars.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Brown, who had been employed by Royal Mail for more than 30 years, starting with the group in 1989, was working at the Cramlington office when the offences took place between February 2019 and October 2020.
There was a period, between March and August 2020, when he did not go to work because he was shielding due to Covid.
Royal Mail prosecutor Oliver Connor said Brown stole around 40 parcels from the special delivery area.
The defendant intercepted the parcels, removed their contents and disposed of the packaging or marked them as “mistreated”, which meant they were damaged.
An investigation was carried out and his home was searched, where £2,631 worth of items were found.
Brown admitted he intended to sell the products recovered at his property.
Mr Connor said Brown was being prosecuted for 40 parcels but admitted the number could have been higher.
“This was a breach of a high degree of trust,” said Mr Connor. “£2,631 is the value of the recovered items.
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“The actual figure is likely to be much more. But it’s almost impossible to say how much more.”
Mr Recorder Mark Giuliani sentenced Brown to one year in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
Recorder Giuliani said he was not sending the defendant to jail as he had a serious medical condition, which needed intensive and long-term treatment, and he had made full and frank admissions to the offence.
He told Brown: “For nearly all of your adult life, for 31 years, you worked for the Royal Mail. Your work record was good.
“Then in February 2019, you set about a scheme to increase your income, partly because your hours had been reduced by a new manager and your wage had been reduced.
“You stole about two parcels a week, abusing your position in the Cramlington post office.
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“You must have known that the offending would come to light. You must have known that the Post Office has a customer complaint system and that the Post Office actively investigates complaints.
“You must have known it would arouse suspicion. You were identified as the individual who had stolen those items.
“The Post Office is a national institution with a national reputation. People rely on the Post Office to deliver parcels.
“You knew that when you were at work, you were in an extremely high degree of trust and responsibility.”
But Recorder Giuliani said Brown had a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and further added: “You did however make full and frank admissions. You have shown remorse.
“Those that steal from the Post Office cannot complain if an immediate custodial sentence is imposed on them.
“But for your ill health and but for the full and frank admissions, you would be facing an immediate custodial sentence.”
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