A POSTMAN dipped into his mail sack, in part to try to relieve his gambling debts.

On his own admission Christopher Lowe stole from 193 postal packages in little more than a year, taking an estimated £200-plus, as well as eight gift cards belonging to the Royal Mail.

Durham Crown Court heard that those undelivered packages were found at his home address, in Bishop Auckland, but Lowe told investigators he had been, “doing it”, for more than four years.

The 42-year-old defendant, of Fleet Street, admitted two counts of theft by an employee, one covering a period from November 20, 2018, to December 11, 2019, relating to the 193 postal packets, and the other involving, “an unknown quantity” of mail, between January 1, 2016, to December 11, last year.

Asked by Judge Ray Singh about the overall amount involved, Ellen Wright, prosecuting for the Royal Mail, told the court the loss is obviously going to be higher than the figures given in the charge, but it was, “impossible to quantify.”

She said although the overall loss may not have been very high, the offending, nevertheless, represented, “a significant breach of trust.”

Judge Singh said: “Either way, there’s a significant possibility of custody, but it’s not absolutely guaranteed.”

He adjourned sentencing Lowe until after preparation of a background report, but told the defendant: “I think it right that the Probation Service look at you and the risk factors of further offending.”

He bailed Lowe to return for sentence on November 17.