Sub-postmaster covered up losses of £49,000

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday that 53-year-old Mohammed Luqman had been running the Paddock Post Office at his newsagents shop in Church Street for almost a decade, but in recent years it had been making losses.

Father-of-three Luqman made false entries on a computer system to conceal the cash deficiencies and his actions only came to light when an audit was carried out.

Prosecutor Adam Beaumont told a judge the losses amounted to 49,553.92 and Luqman initially told investigators that the deficiencies were a result of his incompetence.

He later accepted that he had also been paying some personal bills through the automated payment system, but he estimated the total at 5,000.

Within a fortnight of the audit Luqman, of Allison House, Allison Drive, Fixby, Huddersfield, obtained a loan from his brother-in-law to pay back the money.

Luqman admitted a false accounting charge covering several years.

His barrister, Gerald Hillman, said Luqman had not intended to permanently deprive the Post Office of any money and always intended to repay any deficiencies.

The court heard that Luqman had put the business on the market in 2005, but it was only sold this year.

Recorder Sandra Keen told Luqman that because he had pleaded guilty and all the money had been repaid she could suspend the sentence.