A postal worker who stole more than £25,000 by helping himself to pension and child benefit payments has been spared jail.
Hamit Pankhania, 44, of Grangewood Avenue, Grays, admitted six charges of theft, six charges of false accounting and asked for scores of other similar matters to be taken into consideration.
Pankhania was a relief worker at post offices in the area between May and December 2001 and stole child benefit and pension order books, cashing cheques for himself to the tune of £25,584.
His barrister, Caroline Haughey, told Southend Crown Court: "This was an opportunistic crime motivated by greed, but he has done everything in his power to repay that money and he has now repaid the full amount."
Judge Frank Lockhart gave Pankhania a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to pay £1,000 costs.
The judge told Pankhania: "Normally a prison sentence would be the only option for such a serious breach of trust, but there is another side to the coin.
"It was your first offence and you have a good record of work and loyalty to your family.
"You have also pleaded guilty and, most of all, you have taken exceptional steps to repay the money and restore some of the damage you have caused."
Published Wednesday, January 15, 2003
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