A ROOKIE postwoman unable to cope with her round dumped bundles of mail at the town’s recycling centre, a court has heard.
Lucy Mansfield was sacked after only 11 weeks in the job when opened packets were found at her home, Stafford Crown Court heard.
Martin Smith, prosecuting, said Royal Mail had launched an investigation when 43 postal packets were discovered at the recycling centre last November. They should have been delivered by Mansfield on October 19.
Mr Smith said the defendant had ‘found it difficult to cope with the amount of work’ and that ‘some of the addresses were difficult to access’.
Mansfield, aged 21, of Belfield Road, Swadlincote, admitted one charge of theft of postal packets, one of destroying postal packets and two of attempting to destroy postal packets.
But she was spared a prison sentence by Judge Michael Challinor, who told her: “It seems to me you are an immature young woman, who with the benefit of hindsight should never have been given the responsibility to work as a postal worker, which is a trusted position. I don’t blame anyone at the Post Office.
“It’s not just the loss of items from the post, there is damage to the postal system when postal workers divert or destroy mail.
“However, the mitigating features in this case are powerful – the job was clearly beyond you, but instead of seeking help, you panicked and because I am satisfied you do suffer from some form of autism, you dealt with the matter by burying your head in the sand.
“I shall deal with you very exceptionally with an intensive community order. You have come close to losing your liberty and some members of the public will consider I have been lenient. This is not a soft option.” Mansfield was put under 12 months’ supervision, ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid community work and placed on a curfew for four months, with £500 costs to pay.
Mr Smith said Mansfield confessed that she had taken three bundles of mail to the recycling centre. The one containing 43 packets was found in November, another containing 60 packets was recovered in February this year, but the third had been lost.
Neal Williams, defending, said it was now suspected that Mansfield suffered from autism and had been referred to a specialist in Sheffield.
He said: “There was an obvious route out of this for her by going to her manager and saying ‘I can’t cope with this’.” After being sacked by Royal Mail, she got a job at a children’s nursery, informing them about her impending case, and they were content to supervise her.
Mr Williams said: “Unfortunately, these proceedings gave rise to publicity; parents who have children going to the nursery read about the case and complained to the nursery and she was asked to leave. She is now on Jobseekers’ allowance.”
