SUSPENDED SENTENCE FORFORMER POSTMAN

A 36-year-old man has received a suspended sentence when his case was reviewed.

Pierce Lennon, 2 St. Clement’s Park, Point Road, admitted a charge that ‘as an employee of a postal service provider, he did intentionally interfere, delay and open postal packets addressed to another’, between 1 January, 2013 and 9 September, 2016, at his home.

Twenty-eight mail bags were found throughout the defendant’s property.

Previously, evidence was heard that 7,837 items of mail were recovered, while another approximately 800 could not be counted because of deterioration and exposure to weather.

Of the items recovered, 6,537 were unopened letters.

It was stated Lennon, who has no previous convictions, is extremely remorseful. There was no malice intended. He lost his job as a result.

Solicitor Aimee McCumiskey said her client attended a 10-week detox programme and is abstaining from alcohol. He is unemployed and on illness benefit.

After reading a report before him, having sought reasons for this offending, Judge Coughlan imposed a five months sentence, suspended for five months.