Postman stole 18,000 mail items

About 139 postal packages were discovered in Moore's car

A Merseyside postman who stole 18,000 items of mail and dumped them in his home has been jailed for eight months.

Instead of delivering the post, Adam Moore, 22, piled it in his flat on Ireland Avenue, Huyton - the pile was 12cm (4.7in) deep in his home.

Moore, now of Gosford Street, Toxteth, pleaded guilty to delaying, destroying and stealing postal packets.

The court heard he had opened 1,408 items, including greeting cards, and stolen a total of £500.

Caused chaos

Prosecuting Philip Astbury said the team investigating found it almost impossible to enter the flat without stepping on mail.

The investigators also found two bin liners full of shredded mail along with driving licences, cheque books, pin numbers and unused credit cards.

Judge Ian Trigger said: "You had not intended to use those items but merely the loss of them shows the degree of chaos you caused to the intended recipients."

Moore had only been working for Royal Mail for five weeks when the incidents began in April. When he did not turn up for work two days consecutively investigators visited his home.

Defending, Andrew Sinker said Moore had taken the job as a postman because he was being chased by loan sharks.