Postie admits stealing mail
An 18-year-old postwoman has admitted opening some mail items and dumping other items in the domain of a rural Canterbury town.
A psychological report has been ordered ahead of her sentencing on June 17 on six charges she admitted at the Christchurch District Court today.
At the request of defence counsel Trudi Aickin, Judge David Saunders granted the woman interim name suppression until the psychological report is presented to the court at the sentencing. The order will be reconsidered then.
Miss Aickin said the woman told her that at the time of the offending, she was suffering psychological stress and had previous admissions to hospital for treatment for her illness.
Judge Saunders ordered a pre-sentence report, and a report on her suitability for home or community detention. A restorative justice meeting may be held ahead of the sentencing.
The woman admitted four charges of shoplifting from Christchurch stores, as well as unlawfully opening postal articles, and theft by a person in a special relationship.
Because of the suppression order, the name the town involved cannot be reported.
She was employed as a postie for six weeks. Several times, instead of delivering mail, she put it back into a street receiver and it was returned to NZ Post’s delivery branch.
When this was found out, she was counselled.
Three times during this period, a cleaner found large amounts of mail dumped in a rubbish bin at a park. He handed it to the police. A lot of the mail had been opened and contents removed.
On a day in November, the woman dumped a large amount of mail in the town’s domain. Police say there were 121 unopened items and another 21 that had been opened and had items removed.
The unopened items recovered were later delivered, but the police say 56 of the town’s residents have not received items posted to them.
When the police spoke to her, the woman admitted dumping the mail in the domain because she felt unwell. She admitted opening mail that contained Christmas cards but denied taking any of the contents.
Category: Focus
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