Postman jailed over four years of theft

A thieving postman who plundered mail sent to people in Lichfield over four years has been jailed for eight months.

Jewellery, mobile phones, DVDs and greetings card were among Peter Webb's haul.

The 55-year-old was snared when Post Office investigators planted test packages on his round and one, containing a digital camera, was not delivered. They searched

Webb's home in the city and found packets dating back to 2006. Some were unopened and some in the bin.

Webb claimed he had given a lot of the property away, including as prizes in pub quizzes, Stafford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Webb, of Leyfields, admitted theft and delaying mail.

Judge Mark Eades told him: "You knew perfectly well the importance to the public of mail being delivered. This isn't simply a matter of a breach of trust with your employer, it is a breach of the contract the Post Office has with the public that a package will be delivered.

"Your prime motive doesn't appear to be financial - it's one of the bizarre features of this case that when your home was searched they found parcels going back to 2006."

Mr John Dove, prosecuting, said the Post Office launched an investigation following complaints last year from customers on the Trent Valley Road walk that packages failed to arrive.

In January this year specially prepared 'test' packages were given to Webb. Some were delivered correctly but the digital camera failed to arrive.

At Webb's home there were 52 postal packets, 22 had been opened and one of them had contained the camera sent out to test him.

Asked why he had been taking the packages, Webb said: "I don't know why, I have just been an idiot."

Mr Rashad Mohammed, defending, said Webb, a postman for over 12 years, is now unemployed.

He said:?"He is still at a loss as to why he did it. He uses the word curiosity. He says he had no intention to make financial gain.

"He describes the Royal Mail as a good employer and that he enjoyed his work."

Royal Mail spokesman Richard Hall said: "We will always seek to prosecute the tiny minority who abuse their position of trust."