Drunk postman stashed 31,000 parcels at home
A postman stashed more than 31,000 undelivered parcels and letters at his home - because he was too drunk to complete his rounds.
Steve Tasker, 43, hoarded the "staggering" collection at his home. for up to three and a half years at his house and kept almost 16,000 mail items in or behind his garden shed.
Tasker also wrapped the letters in plastic Farm Foods carrier bags to try and keep them dry because he claimed he would deliver them once he had sobered up.
But Burnley Crown Court, Lancs was told he never got round to taking the post to its rightful destinations. Instead he pocketed at least £200 sent as gifts in cards, including money meant for an 18th birthday.
Tasker, then a postman for 12 years, was eventually put under surveillance by the Royal Mail last September, after reports from the public about mail not being delivered.
On the day he was observed, he didn't start on his walk until noon at the earliest, finished about 2pm and had left more than 300 packets undelivered.
He later admitted he had left the Post Office at about 9am and had then done some shopping, gone home for his breakfast, had some cider, been to the bookies and was drunk.
The hearing was told Tasker, an asthmatic, had a "tough time" at home, looking after his wife and daughter who are both disabled, almost single-handedly - which may have been why he drank too much.
It cost the Royal Mail £1,530 to sort all the undelivered postal packets and finally send them to the rightful recipients.
Tasker, of Burnley, admitted interfering with mail between March 2007 and September 2010, damage, and theft between August and September last year.
He was given 32 weeks in jail, suspended for a year, with 12 months supervision and alcohol treatment and the Thinking Skills programme.
John Gibson, prosecuting for the Royal Mail, said last September 15, Tasker was put under surveillance. At about 4.30pm, officers went to a pouch box and found 331 items of post he was supposed to have delivered that day still there.
Officers, with his agreement, went to search his house and found a "massive interference " with mail.
In the property were 15,253 postal packets, some on top of the fridge and some of them dating back to March 2007. A further 15,831 items were found in the garden shed or behind it, in a bin. About 1,000 packets were water damaged. A total of 43 greetings card-type letters had been opened, between last August and September.
Mr Gibson said Tasker was interviewed and said he had been struggling because of his health. The prosecutor sais the Royal Mail would say he had been monitored on light duties after his return from being off sick, had been supervised and had been found to be fit enough to make deliveries.
Mr Gibson said the defendant told officers he had problems at home. He said he had sometimes drunk too much to be able to do his round and he would sometimes have a few pints before he arrived for work at 6am.
He told officers he knew what he had done in opening mail was wrong, but he had probably been drunk at the time and had no money.
The court was told the defendant had a conviction for stealing from his employers in 1994, which was spent by the time he applied to work as a postman.
Mark Stuart, for Tasker, said the vast majority of the post was unopened. He had undoubtedly had a drink problem, health difficulties, family commitments and had been struggling to cope.
His wife had cerebral palsy, epilepsy and a weakness on one side of her body. Their daughter was disabled and attended a special school.
The Royal Mail knew about his alcohol problem, a meeting had been held and he had effectively been told to drink coffee and not alcohol before work. Mr Stuart said Tasker had intended to deliver the mail at some point. The barrister added:"But, tomorrow never came."
Sentencing Tasker, the judge Mr Recorder Phillip Grundy said :"You, as a postman, were in a clear position of trust. We, as members of the public, trusted you."
"But if I were to lock you up, that would punish your wife and daughter and quite frankly, they would struggle. I am giving you a chance. It's having had the benefit of seeing you in court and seeing your wife. That has persuaded me to suspend the sentence.''
Well wow I have been drunk before, but congrats Brits, you win.
