Postman’s 34,000 mail hoard

A POSTMAN hoarded more than 34,000 packages and letters and spent cash from greetings cards on cigarettes, a court has heard.

Anthony Brierley was caught out by Royal Mail investigators who sent out “intelligence packages” following reports of missing mail.

The 49-year-old, who previously served in the Falklands with the Royal Navy, yesterday admitted two charges of delaying and opening post and theft at Oldham Magistrates Court.

Elizabeth Rigby, prosecuting on behalf of the Royal Mail, told how Brierley had been put under surveillance and was caught putting mail he was supposed to be delivering into the boot of his car.

When investigators then searched his home and vehicle they discovered 11,898 addressed pieces of mail and 21,686 door-to-door items, taken between February, 2010 and September last year.

They also discovered 831 stolen packages sent between November, 2010 and September 2011.

The court heard how dad-of-one Brierley, who lives alone in Oldham Road, Failsworth, said when interviewed that he could not cope with the amount of post he had to deliver in the set time, and would put them in his boot when he came to clock off at 3pm.

Prosecutor Mrs Rigby added: “He had first hoped to deliver the mail but eventually transferred it to his home and said that things then got out of hand.

“He initially opened them out of boredom and curiosity and put money into a charity box.

“He then began to keep the money and spent it on food and cigarettes.”

The court also heard how packages he had opened included orders from companies such as Amazon and Lovefilm.

Defence solicitor Martin Hayes said Brierley had thought of resigning due to the pressures of the workload but eventually did so when investigators stepped in.

He added: “He had surplus mail that he found difficult to deliver on time.

“There was no overtime available.

“When he told his employers, all they could say was to come in earlier.

“There was no sophistication to this and it was not an attempt to cast doubt on other employees of the Royal Mail.”

He told the court that Brierley had previously been of good character, having served in the Royal Navy between 1979 and 1994 and been awarded the South Atlantic medal and rosette.

Having referred to case law when considering the matter, Magistrate George Wedlock said it was necessary to send the matter to Crown Court for sentencing next month.

He said the sustained period of activity showed a degree of dishonesty and that the substantial amount of packages would have to be taken into account.

He added that Brierley had broken the trust put in him as a Royal Mail employee and that would have a knock-on effect on society.

He deemed the powers of magistrates not enough to be able to impose a ‘deterrent sentence’ on him.