Thieving Consett postman who stole more than 1,000 packages due to 'stress' locked up

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https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... e-19477539

A thieving postman who stole more than 1,000 packages over eight years has been jailed.

Michael Sullivan, 54, was snared after fake packages containing cash were put in his delivery round.

Durham Crown Court heard Royal Mail bosses became suspicious of Sullivan after employees had found packages hidden in the glove compartment and behind the visor of his work vehicle.

It was then bogus packages were placed in his delivery with GPS devices and investigators were able to catch him with the packets, the court was told.

Investigators stopped Sullivan, of Temple Forge Mews, Consett, who agreed to a search being carried out and was found with a £20 bank note from one of the packets.

Prosecutor Ellen Wright told the court investigators also found a Co-op gift voucher in his mobile phone cover and a search of his home was carried out, where 1,032 postal packets were found.

She added: “A search of his home address found a significant quantity of postal packets containing gift cards and vouchers were recovered.

“When asked about the £20 bank note recovered in his trousers he stated he had taken it out the postal packet earlier in the morning. He claimed it had been opened when he received it, he said he was not responsible for opening it.

“He said the money was in his trouser pocket so he would not lose it.”

She added: “The Co-op gift card, he stated, was given to him by a customer for his daughter.”

The oldest package found at his home was a job application that dated back to August 22, 2011, the court heard.

Sullivan admitted taking the postal packaged when quizzed by investigators but denied taking the fake packages, saying he'd "stopped stealing items three or four weeks before", the court heard.

After being asked about why he took the items, Sullivan said he’d been suffering stress for “many years” and admitted stealing postal packets under stress and didn’t know how many he’d stolen.


Sullivan pleaded guilty to two counts of theft by an employee between August 2011 and September 2019 at a previous hearing at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court.

Defence solicitor Kate Barnes said: “Mr Sullivan explained he was under a period of severe stress and depression leading up to the discovery.”

Judge James Adkin said Sullivan’s action had breached the public’s trust and jailed him for 10 months.