Postie thief avoids jail

A long-serving Black Country postman caught with birthday and greetings cards stolen from colleagues' rounds has avoided jail.

Barry Norman, aged 64, of Foster Avenue, Coseley, was sentenced to a 16-week jail term suspended for 12 months, allowing him to walk free from court.

Norman, who was just 12 months from retirement after nearly 30 years of distinguished service as a postman, was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.

He had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to a charge of stealing nine postal packets.

The postman was sacked after an inquiry by his bosses at the Trinity Road sorting office in Dudley earlier this year, despite denying he had taken money from any of the cards.

Mr John Dove, prosecuting, said suspicions were aroused after colleagues noticed Norman "looking carefully" at cards as he was sorting the mail.

Mr Dove said the packets should have been returned to an area of the office where 'mis-sorts' were placed, but only one of the three was recovered.

The other two were later found among seven other pieces of torn-up mail in his pockets.

Mr Dove told the court yesterday that during police interview Norman said: "I am ashamed. Twenty-eight years down the pan."

Norman was found with £75.72 cash at the time of arrest while the sender of one of the packets told police she had put £20 in the envelope before posting it.

He was also ordered to pay £500 costs and £20 compensation to the woman who had sent out the card in question.