A MAN who stole a bag of mail from a Darlington postman was jailed yesterday.

Darren Foster, 23, of no fixed address, admitted stealing letters and parcels from the Royal Mail on August 3. He asked for four other offences to be taken into consideration.

Ciaran Grogan, prosecuting, told Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court: "He has taken a postman's trolley and secreted the mail in a dustbin. He was going through the mail when he was apprehended."

Foster also admitted stealing £4 and breaching a 12-month conditional discharge imposed by Teesside magistrates for theft.

Andrew Clinton, mitigating, urged District Judge Michael Wood to take into account Foster's early guilty pleas and his heroin addiction.

Foster was jailed for seven months.