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Thieving postman is spared jail
A CASH-strapped postal worker has escaped a prison term for stealing hundreds of pounds from gift cards.
Desperate Ian Chantler, 39, could have been jailed for six months after he was caught red-handed during an internal Royal Mail probe.
The Hebburn dad-of-two had £180 in pilfered cash in his pocket, and confessed to pinching a further £200 from cards passing through the Gateshead sorting depot.
But magistrates took pity after hearing his short, one-off crime spree was prompted by his fears over loan repayments.
They also heard his arrest had contributed to the breakdown of his marriage, and enforced absence from his three-year-old child.
Ordering him to do 200 hours’ unpaid work, Brian Malloy, chairman of the bench, told Chantler, of Agincourt: “This charge of theft from the Post Office we consider a serious matter.
“It casts a great shadow over the Post Office and its employees.” Gateshead Magistrates’ Court heard bosses at the Tyneside Mail Centre became suspicious that cards were being tampered with.
They pinpointed the problem to one particular sorting machine, and mounted surveillance.
Prosecutor Paul Heron said: “They investigated because a number of mistreated postal packages of a similar nature were found.
“Greetings cards had been found in a mistreated state around the mail sorting centre. He was seen to open a number of greetings cards, and then put them back into the mail.”
Chantler was quizzed and immediately admitted taking money from cards – and looking for more.
Added Mr Heron: “He said there was no excuse, but he’d done it out of desperation.
“Six weeks earlier, a damaged card had come through and it had £10 sticking out of it, and he had taken it.
“He had used the money to buy Christmas presents, petrol and towards a loan. He also had problems with his car and his freezer broke down.”
Graeme Cook, defending, said Chantler had stolen solely to keep up with weekly payments on a consolidated loan, believed to be £7,000.
He said his client, who had worked for Royal Mail for 20 years and had an unblemished record, had shown genuine remorse,
Mr Cook added: “The loan escalated out of control. It was costing him £80 a week. He took it all on his own shoulders – he should have confessed to his wife, but he didn’t. It has rebounded on him – his marriage is at an end.
“The effect on him is also that his job of 20 years is gone. This man is full of remorse.”
Chantler, who has no previous convictions and has since found other work, carried out the spree between July and October last year.
The court heard he opened 59 cards or letters and stole £380. He admitted two charges of theft and two of attempted theft.
His 12-month community order also included paying the Royal Mail £200 in compensation and £400 court costs.
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Weather for Jarrow
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 11 C to 19 C
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