Royal Mail worker stole from post to fund gambling addiction

Mark Anthony Foster, of Park Street, Haydock stole 17 postal packets over a nine-month period between November 2018 and August 2019.

During his spree, Foster, 39, stole electrical items, mostly mobile phones, to the value of £7,038.36 before selling the stolen goods on eBay.

He had made £4,514.83 from goods out of 15 stolen postal packets. Foster pleaded guilty to theft and to a charge of converting criminal property into money.

His crimes were detected after an Apple iPhone he had taken was tracked to East Ayrshire, Scotland where someone had purchased it from Foster's eBay account.

Judge Stuart Driver QC spared him an immediate prison sentence and accepted Foster, who had no relevant previous convictions and worked for the Royal Mail for 17 years, had acted "out of character" to fund his addiction.

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Prosecuting, Andrea Fitzgerald, said: "This matter came to light as a result of a parcel containing an Apple iPhone which was being taken through the system later being scanned through Newton-le-Willows and thereafter disappeared from the system.

"It is very easy to track the phones. Apple were contacted and they confirmed it had been activated in Scotland and they gave the detail of who he had bought the phone from.

"It was stolen in Newton-le-Willows and then sold by the defendant using his eBay account and he was identified by by having details of who the seller was.

"Further enquiries showed the defendant had sold other items through it" which had been reported as lost to the Royal Mail.

Ms Fitzgerald added: "As a result the defendant was interviewed and and in interview he made full admissions and a stolen Samsung Galaxy was found on his person and another was recovered from his home along with some packaging from a stolen Samsung Galaxy watch which had been sold on the eBay account.

"The value of stolen items was £7,038. He converted this to £4,514 in proceeds."

She said the offences showed "a breach of a high degree of trust and responsibility.

"The prosecution says there is significant additional harm because we have a high level of inconvenience caused to the victims who are waiting for their phones as they ordered and the loss of confidence in the business of Royal Mail which we have to take very seriously."

Ms Fitzgerald said a total of £12,083.68 was to be taken out of Foster's pension pot to cover compensation for the thefts and costs of the investigation and prosecution.

Liverpool Crown Court

Defending, David Achilles, said Foster was of "previous good character" and for the best part of 16 years was a "fully productive employee".

He said: "It is a relatively simple explanation, this man's finances aren't good and he has a gambling addiction. Temptation got the better of him.

"For a period of nine months he committed these offences, he committed them to fund primarily his gambling addiction."

Mr Achilles added Foster resigned immediately from his job and has since found work with Amazon on a zero-hour contract.

He added: "He is extremely remorseful and probably thankful that these matters have come to light, at least it has been stopped now. He is perhaps relieved that the situation has been resolved."

Asking the judge to suspend Foster's sentence he said the defendant has a partner and a young son who would "suffer from a custodial sentence" and his family are "standing by him" and "knew nothing" of the thefts.

Passing sentence, judge Stuart Driver QC acknowledged there was "a substantial amount of mitigation" and Foster "acted out of character because you were addicted to gambling which you are now addressing".

He added: "There are findings indicating where it would be appropriate to suspend the sentence.

"There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and custody would have a harmful impact on your young child.

"In these circumstances, although there must be a sentence of imprisonment, it can be suspended."

He gave Foster concurrent 12-month sentences for the two offences, suspended for 12 months and ordered him to undertake rehabilitation activity and 70 hours of unpaid work.