Postman caught with hundreds of letters in his home - AnPost

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Postman caught with hundreds of letters in his home, court told

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A POST office worker was allegedly found with hundreds of undelivered letters after gardai searched his car and home.

David Fetherston (26) was working for An Post when his car was checked and 270 letters found inside, it is alleged.

Dublin District Court heard more mail was found in a follow-up search of his north Dublin home.

Fetherston was remanded on continuing bail after he appeared in court charged in connection with the incident.

Judge Denis McLoughlin accepted jurisdiction to deal with the case at District Court level before adjourning it for the accused to decide how he is to plead.

Fetherston, of Moatview Drive, Coolock, is charged with four counts of opening post at Moatview Gardens. The offence is under the Postal Services Act. He is also charged with a further two counts of fraudulently retaining mail at his home, under the Post Office Act.

The offences are alleged to have happened on dates between April 1 and 7, 2010.

A State solicitor told the court the accused's car was stopped and searched and two bags of mail containing 270 unopened letters were allegedly found inside. The letters were addressed to other locations and had not been delivered.

Another three letters and one package not addressed to the accused had been opened, but there was no monetary value on the contents, it was alleged.

When gardai searched the defendant's home, it was allegedly discovered that a further 154 undelivered letters were detained there. None of them had been opened. It was alleged that a €50 All-In-One voucher had been taken and used.

The court heard An Post had notified gardai that the mail consisted of general letters destined for addresses other than the accused.

Judge McLoughlin accepted jurisdiction after hearing the outline of the alleged facts.

Fetherston's solicitor said she had just received statements in the case and asked the judge to put it back to another date.

The State solicitor said if the case was to go to hearing, it would be lengthy, with at least 10 prosecution witnesses.

Judge McLoughlin adjourned the case to May 4.