A FORMER Suffolk postman has been given a community sentence after admitting he stole mail.

Adrian Bullard, of Lower Common, Westhall, near Halesworth, was sentenced when he appeared before North East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court in Lowestoft.

The 52-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to two charges.

One of the offences involved the theft of a quantity of postal packets, although the amount of mail taken has not been revealed.

Bullard committed the thefts between July 7 and July 21 this year.

The value of the stolen items is unknown.

Bullard also pleaded guilty to theft of mail on July 21.

This offence related to a postal packet which contained money to the value of �20. The thefts all took place in Lowestoft.

The town’s magistrates gave Bullard a 12-month community order.

As part of his sentence he will have to carry out 130 hours of unpaid work.

Bullard was also ordered to pay �300 towards the costs of the prosecution brought by the Royal Mail.

A spokesman for the Royal Mail said Bullard no longer works for the organisation.

However, it is unclear whether he resigned or was dismissed following his arrest.

The spokesman reassured customers that the Royal Mail takes a robust attitude towards dishonesty by its workers, and warned it will prosecute any employee if they are caught stealing.

The spokesman said: “Royal Mail has a zero tolerance approach to any dishonesty and that stance is shared by the overwhelming majority of postmen and women, who are honest and hard-working and who do all they can to protect the mail and deliver it safely.

“We will always seek to prosecute the tiny minority of people who abuse their position of trust.”