POSTMAN WHO STOLE POSTAL PACKETS JAILED

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LINK

09:00 - 14 January 2008

A Postman who stole postal packets and interfered with the delivery of mail has been jailed for 56 days.His actions represented a gross beach of trust, said District Judge Richard Williams, sitting at Swansea Magistrates Court.

In jailing father-of-two Neil Absalom, he said: "Those who are employed in the postal service must not in any sense interfere with the mails or steal from the mails and expect anything less than an immediate custodial sentence."

Absalom, aged 31, of Cwrt Cilmari, Morriston, admitted the theft of eight postal packets between April and August of last year.

He also admitted two counts of intentionally delaying the delivery of postal items.

His solicitor, David James, said the sum of money he had taken had amounted to only about £10. At the time of the offences he was in considerable debt and was drinking heavily, he told the court.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "Royal Mail operates a zero tolerance approach towards any case of dishonesty and will always seek to prosecute when such offences come to light."

[billyb8]

No sympathy.

I hate tea leaves.

[F0zziebear]

Is it me or are the number of prosecutions for mail theft on the icnrease from posties? I might be cause they are reported in ehre that we see them more easily.

[andy2007]

Firstly: I'd like to say that I am plesantly surprised that the Judge took the breach of trust into account. I have little sympathy for theves, and DETEST those who abuse their position of trust to do so.

I have been in severe debt in the past, and I didn't steal. There are also many, many, more who can say the same. Unless you are stealing food or drink, if you have NO OTHER MEANS OF STAYING ALIVE, you have no excuse for stealing!

Secondly: have you noticed from the comments, that the RM propoganda machine is working well?
The Public are blaming the "second rate staff" at RM, instead of the managers, for reducing the level of Service! I find that highly offensive!

Unfortunately, I can't comment on the Newspaper's Site, as they say that they might publish my Email Address if the comment is published! I have no problem with people knowing who I am, and where I am. But I do object to people being able to contact me directly, as and when they want to (via Email, Phone or Mail).

[F0zziebear]

Does one blame RoyalMail for increasing the pressure on a postie and subsequent stealing? You said there is no excuse for his actions so to blame RoyalMail for that would be contradictory.

Having said that I think there should be more support for staff in terms of alcohol/drug abuse, and or debt issues. This does seem to have improved slightly in recent years.

My mantra is happy staff equals good quality staff, equals good performance, and a good balance sheet in the longer term.

The time and effort taken to prosecute posties for stealing is expensive. RM's security department's budget must run into the millions every year

F0zz

[andy2007]

Does one blame RoyalMail for increasing the pressure on a postie and subsequent stealing? You said there is no excuse for his actions so to blame RoyalMail for that would be contradictory.

Having said that I think there should be more support for staff in terms of alcohol/drug abuse, and or debt issues. This does seem to have improved slightly in recent years.

My mantra is happy staff equals good quality staff, equals good performance, and a good balance sheet in the longer term.

The time and effort taken to prosecute posties for stealing is expensive. RM's security department's budget must run into the millions every year

F0zz

I don't blame RM for him stealing. My second point, was about one of the comments left on the newspaper's site. Where a member of the Public was complaing that RMs problems are caused by the "second rate staff". It was that, that I was complaining about.

I'm sorry if I gave the wrong impression in my previous Post. But I did say that I had 2 separate points to make.

[POSTMAN]

Is it me or are the number of prosecutions for mail theft on the icnrease from posties? I might be cause they are reported in ehre that we see them more easily.

I think it's prob a bit of both FOzz.
There does seem to be a lot of it going on.
In the 'Courier' it was mentioned that there are about 400 IB dudes doing the rounds.

[dvbuk55]

I found his excuse totally lame - if he was in debt, £10 wasn't going to make a blind bit of difference - consequently you would have to question the amount.

[Neil042176]

I am Neil Absalom and I’d like to apologise to all the members of public's that my actions affected and to Royal Mail for abusing my position of trust and those lame excuses did not come from my mouth I deserved everything I got regarding my sentence I’m still getting punished for it today everyone that knows me knows that’s not the type of person I am I gave 12 years exemplary service to Royal Mail before this and think what you like these are not excuses they are facts I was going through a marriage breakdown I lost my house and I couldn’t have dealt with it in a worse way if I tried where I should have been getting help I was drowning everything out with alcohol and drugs I had a breakdown which was mostly self inflicted I was the master of my own downfall my criminal record now has only the one conviction on it for my actions which I’ve served my time for and for the name callers in the chat TEA LEAF THIEF grow up keyboard warriors because 70% of your colleagues have a lot worse on their criminal records but you ain’t got a keyboard to hide behind in work that’s me done P.S. mental health is no joke

[Smoothbackground]

I am Neil Absalom and I’d like to apologise to all the members of public's that my actions affected and to Royal Mail for abusing my position of trust and those lame excuses did not come from my mouth I deserved everything I got regarding my sentence I’m still getting punished for it today everyone that knows me knows that’s not the type of person I am I gave 12 years exemplary service to Royal Mail before this and think what you like these are not excuses they are facts I was going through a marriage breakdown I lost my house and I couldn’t have dealt with it in a worse way if I tried where I should have been getting help I was drowning everything out with alcohol and drugs I had a breakdown which was mostly self inflicted I was the master of my own downfall my criminal record now has only the one conviction on it for my actions which I’ve served my time for and for the name callers in the chat TEA LEAF THIEF grow up keyboard warriors because 70% of your colleagues have a lot worse on their criminal records but you ain’t got a keyboard to hide behind in work that’s me done P.S. mental health is no joke

Well done for apologising, Neil. It was a bad thing you did but you have paid the price. Hope you are now in a better place emotionally etc.

[scoobydo79]

Sooo lose a job where You can get paid £25k plus a year for £10

[richietns]

Sooo lose a job where You can get paid £25k plus a year for £10

Its not that simple when you have a breakdown some people do things they normally wouldn't the mind gets warped.

[Deadly]

I am Neil Absalom and I’d like to apologise to all the members of public's that my actions affected and to Royal Mail for abusing my position of trust and those lame excuses did not come from my mouth I deserved everything I got regarding my sentence I’m still getting punished for it today everyone that knows me knows that’s not the type of person I am I gave 12 years exemplary service to Royal Mail before this and think what you like these are not excuses they are facts I was going through a marriage breakdown I lost my house and I couldn’t have dealt with it in a worse way if I tried where I should have been getting help I was drowning everything out with alcohol and drugs I had a breakdown which was mostly self inflicted I was the master of my own downfall my criminal record now has only the one conviction on it for my actions which I’ve served my time for and for the name callers in the chat TEA LEAF THIEF grow up keyboard warriors because 70% of your colleagues have a lot worse on their criminal records but you ain’t got a keyboard to hide behind in work that’s me done P.S. mental health is no joke

You were doing well until the last two lines...

[Chris19]

Hi Neil, thanks for the update.
I worked on delivery and different posties at different times stole. The process to catch them involved us all being investigated. Then we had to deliver/ handover to customers, mail in bags with a letter telling them the mail had been tampered with. Although I knew I wouldn't steal you're left with customers who don't know who to trust.
I would've appreciated the posties involved speaking to us in the office and just saying sorry.
I did see both out and about. I spoke to both (no mention of what happened). I was respectful and polite to both. I knew it was madness what they had done but they deserved to move on and life a happy, better life.
I hope you can accept that you too deserve the same. Keep well and take care.

[Londonsburning]

We should be putting most of the management infront of a judge for STEALING A WAGE in this s**t hole of a company these days