Hidden package postal worker held

Lee Black was sent to a young offenders institution

An Aberdeen teenage postal worker caught hiding thousands of packages has been detained for six months.

Lee Black, 18, admitted delaying 4,800 packets while working for Royal Mail, as well as stealing dozens of items.

He had struggled to cope with his round but failed to tell his employer, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard.

Black looked shaken as Sheriff Richard McFarlane told him he could have faced a £10,000 fine, before being sent to a young offenders institution.

His solicitor, Paul Burgess, said he had kept the packages in his house and car.

'Good reputation'

Mr Burgess said he had been too immature to deal with the situation properly.

A Royal Mail spokeswoman said it had a zero tolerance approach to dishonesty committed by any of its staff.

She said: "It is a criminal offence to tamper with or delay the delivery of mail.

"Anyone caught doing so will face serious disciplinary measures and Royal Mail will always seek to prosecute the tiny minority of people who abuse their position of trust.

"The safety and security of mail is of the utmost importance to this business and Royal Mail will not allow the actions of any individual to damage the good reputation of our thousands of hard-working postmen and women."