Postwoman hoarded 'junk' letters

A stressed Staffordshire postwoman who failed to deliver more than 4,000 items which she considered to be junk mail has avoided being sent to jail.

Grandmother Angela Hales hoarded the letters in suitcases at her home in Cheslyn Hay, Stafford Crown Court heard yesterday. They were discovered, by chance when police searched the property in connection with a totally unrelated matter, said Mr John Dove, prosecuting. She told police she had been depressed and stressed and could not deliver them.

Hales, aged 51, of Hawthorn Road, admitted a charge of delaying postal packets.

She was given a nine-month jail sentence which was suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay £1,294 costs.

Mrs Justice Julia Macur told her: "The mail you delayed consisted of documents that may have been of vital importance to countless people.

"In other circumstances, I would consider it essential to impose an immediate custodial sentence to deter others.

"I am satisfied there may have been exceptional circumstances in your case."

Mr Dove told the judge that when asked why she had done it, Hales said she was always rushed to finish her round and get home to look after her mother who was ill or her grandson in Stoke-on-Trent who was also poorly.

"I would just look and decide which was mailsort and which was junk mail.

"I did intend to deliver it somewhere along the line," she said.

But Mr Dove added that many of the 4,400 items found at her home were bank-related.

He said: "The Post Office has legal and commercial contracts with the banks and other retailers to deliver these promotional leaflets.

"If they are not delivered, it puts these contracts in jeopardy."

Hales was employed by Royal Mail for more than nine years and was based at the Landywood sorting office in Great Wyrley up until her arrest and suspension on May 18.