A postman in the Black Country who hoarded almost 4,500 items of mail in the boot of his car as he struggled to keep up with deliveries has been ordered to carry out 250 hours community service.

Some of the letters and packages discovered in his vehicle were up to a month old, Dudley Magistrates Court heard. Shaun Maley, aged 21, was found out after other postal workers who lived in his delivery area in Halesowen complained they had not received mail they were expecting.

He had been working in Coombs Wood, Halesowen, for two months, and the 4,428 packets represented about a fifth of the total items he was expected to deliver in that time. One of the delayed items contained a passport, while others were bills, cheques and greetings cards, said Mr John Dove, prosecuting on behalf of Royal Mail.

He added that Royal Mail bosses had sanctioned some postal staff in Halesowen to use their own cars for deliveries subject to regular inspections. On April 21, an inspector asked to check Maley’s car.

Maley, of Fuchsia Drive, Pendeford, Wolverhampton, handed over 1,182 items of post to supervisors but refused to allow a further inspection. After the police were called, a further 3,272 items were found.

Maley, who was not represented in court, said the problems began when he had to leave work early to pick up his partner’s 12-year-old son from school. He pleaded guilty to intentionally delaying postal packets and was given a 12-month community order with 250 hours of unpaid work.

He must also pay £1,850 costs.