Former Black Country postman kept letters in a garage

Jamie Paterson said it "was out of stupidity" he kept hold of the 486 addressed letters and 161 door-to-door leaflets during two stints serving as a postman in Brierley Hill and Kidderminster.

Paterson was also found to have kept 23 Lovefilm DVD packages, including two which had been opened and were missing contents.

Appearing at Dudley Magistrates' Court, Paterson, aged 38, pleaded guilty to delaying post and theft.

District Judge Michael Wheeler said Paterson had betrayed the trust of the public and sent the case to Wolverhampton Crown Court for sentencing.

Mr John Dove, prosecuting for Royal Mail, told the court that Paterson, of Sedgley Road East, Tipton, had first worked as a postman for eight days in Kidderminster in July 2008.

He then worked for almost two years in Brierley Hill from November 2010 until October last year, when his former partner found bags of unopened mail Paterson had put in her garage in Brierley Hill.

In total, 296 addressed letters and packages were found along with 110 door-to-door promotional leaflets, some dating back to 2008 and addressed to homes in Kidderminster.

Police then found 190 letters and packages and 51 leaflets dating back to as far as March in 2011 at his home address in Tipton. These included 23 Lovefilm DVD packages.

Mr Dove said: "In police interview Mr Paterson was somewhat equivocal in explanation for what had happened.

"He said he had an argument with his ex-girlfriend, went to her home address and said he must have accidentally left mail and forgotten about it.

"When asked if he delayed the mail, he said 'I suppose I have got to hold my hands up'.

"Asked about the Lovefilm DVDs, he first denied stealing them. He said he brought them from a man called Adam in the pub."

Mrs Vanita Joshi, defending, said he had not opened any of the mail, but admitted he had breached the trust of the public.

She said: "He said it was purely out of stupidity, he was seeing his ex-girlfriend at the same time and using her car to drive to Kidderminster.

"It was a volatile relationship and he would leave bags in the car which would be at her house."

Mr Wheeler said: "There are significant aggravating factors in this case, you were employed by the Royal Mail and the public had trust in you – a trust you have betrayed in the large number of items undelivered."

Royal Mail has revealed that 15 postmen and women in the Black Country and Staffordshire had been found guilty of fraud, theft and hoarding packages in less than two years.

None oremain employed by it after either resigning or being sacked. All were given punishments including jail terms, community orders and fines.

Paterson will be sentenced at the crown court on April 12.