A MAN who dishonestly obtained £5,000 from post offices by abusing a system put in place for people who lose their bank card or cheque book has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Robert Fenner took advantage of a “chink in the armour” of the system and obtained money from a member of staff at Hadleigh Post Office on two occasions, Ipswich Crown Court heard

Robert Fenner, 37, of Melford Road, Sudbury, admitted three offences of fraud and attempted fraud by false representation and one offence of money laundering.

He was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work in the community and ordered to pay £2,000 compensation.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting, said the fraud offences dated back to 2010 and concerned a system in place at the time, but not now, where customers of the Alliance and Leicester Building Society - now part of Santander Bank - could get an emergency amount of money from a post office if they lost their bank card or cheque book. Mr Sadd said security procedures had been in place but these were not infallible.

Michael Warren, for Fenner, said the offences happened several years ago and they could have been dealt with when Fenner appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court for other offences. He said other people had been involved in the offences and his client hadn’t profited directly. He said Fenner was keen to put the offences behind him.