A JUDGE has criticised officials for giving the job of a sub-postmaster to a 22-year-old with one A-level whose experience included working in a bar and as a waiter.

Andrew Zielinski was so out of his depth at the village post office he stole more than £16,000 in a matter of weeks to cover his financial mismanagement.

Zielinski appeared at Teesside Crown Court to be sentenced yesterday after admitting fraud at an earlier hearing, and was “exceptionally”

spared prison.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox told him: “It strikes me you should never have been given the responsibility of that position at this age.

“Others of far greater experience and higher responsibility should have realised that your background was no qualification.”

The court heard that the West Burton Post Office, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire, closed after the fraud came to light in September last year.

Ashamed Zielinski now has to face locals every day when they visit the village shop he still runs. His barrister, Antony Cornberg, said: “He thinks to himself, ‘I have lost you your post office’. He genuinely does feel that, and lives with it day-to-day.

For months, villagers had to travel to Thoralby Post Office two miles away, until this summer when Tina Horsefiled – subpostmistress at nearby West Witton – put on a weekly afternoon service.

Zielinski, now 24, of The Garth, West Burton, was given a community order with two years’ supervision, and was ordered to pay the Post Office £16,465 compensation.

Judge Fox told him: “I am satisfied you didn’t fritter any of your ill-gotten profit, you were just robbing Peter to pay Paul in trying to keep your shop business going.”

The court heard that Zielinski’s step-father was helping him with the financial aspect of running the shop, while the defendant worked 13 hours a day to make it a success.

The judge was given testimonals and references which, he said, showed “many people are loyal to you and supportive”.

Rosalind Scott Bell, prosecuting on behalf of the Post Office, told the court that Zielinski was given on-the-job training and would have put forward a business plan to support his application for the position.

Sue Riding, clerk to West Burton Parish Council, told The Northern Echo: “Andrew and his parents are very wellrespected.

We do feel that Andrew, as a very young and inexperienced person, should have been given a lot more SUPPORT: Andrew Zielinski By Neil Hunter neil.hunter@nne.co.uk support by the Post Office but instead he was just left to his own devices.

A Royal Mail spokesman said last night: “The overwhelming majority of people who work in our branch network are professional, honest and provide the highest standards of service possible.”