A UK postal worker hoarded over 4,000 undelivered letters in his apartment, claiming there were "too many bags to deliver," which led to a police raid and a court appearance for his staggering breach of trust.
A fellow postal worker was visiting Jason Cooper when he came across 12 bags of mail around his home. Gazette Live reported the colleague allegedly asked Cooper, 30 about the packages but was told "he didn't know anything about" it before asking his colleague, "should I get rid of it?"
His colleague then went to police who later raided Cooper's home to find 4,000 letters and packages posted between 2020 and 2021. According to Gazette Live, Cooper even brought the mail with him on three moves. The Post Office also told the court it was ordered to reimburse residents who complained about lost packages.
Cooper was arrested and pleaded guilty to delaying the delivery of mail and to opening mail. He told the court he was overworked and given "too many bags to deliver." His defense told the judge Cooper, who was fired after his arrest, is now caring for his three children while his wife supports their family.
The judge berated Cooper for not being "the best of workers" but said a prison sentence would be damaging to his family and children.
"You knew full well that you were trusted by the public, and your employers, to deliver the mail," the judge said, according to Gazette Live.
The former postal worker was sentenced to a 12-month prison term, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 200 hours of volunteer work.
"You may be breathing a sigh of relief and thinking that's it," the judge told Cooper, "but if you get into any trouble in the next two years—a fight in the pub or anything—this sentence will come into effect."
