Postman sentenced over huge hoard of undelivered junk mail

Former soldier Jan Myatt stashed the mail, which included a Bradford Council newsletter and information about GPs, in his attic, under the stairs and even in his shed.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday the undelivered post came to light in June last year after a random check while Myatt was on his round in Keighley.

Prosecutor Danielle Graham said a Royal Mail investigator questioned the 34-year-old when he was seen delivering using his own car.

When he opened the boot of the vehicle. mail – which should have been delivered six months earlier – was found in a bag.

Miss Graham said the undelivered post included 146 addressed items such as birthday cards and more than 9,000 so-called "door-to-door" items which Myatt was contracted to deliver as part of his work.

She told the court that postal staff received additional payments of about 15 to 20 a week for delivering door-to-door items and the business was worth 110m a year to the Royal Mail.

Myatt, who is now unemployed, admitted one charge of interfering with the mail but it was emphasised that it was not a case of him stealing from the post.

When questioned about the undelivered items he had blamed "time pressure".

At the time he was employed by the Royal Mail, Myatt was also trying to operate a joinery business and Judge John Potter said he had been trying to cover up his inability to carry out his postal work by hiding the evidence.

The judge made Myatt, who had no previous convictions, the subject of a one-year community order which included doing 200 hours unpaid work. He will also have to pay 500 costs.