Postman kept undelivered parcels at home

A STRESSED postie left hundreds of letters and parcels at his Capital home because he could not cope with his round, a court heard.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday heard Ross Henderson, 23, had become mentally exhausted from the constant changes in his delivery route.

Sheriff Kathrine Mackie deferred sentence on first offender Henderson, of Carrick Knowe Terrace, for background reports.

Fiscal depute Aidan Higgins said: "They were articles of post which he should have delivered and he did not but rather left them, many within his own house.

"None of the packets had been interfered with, they were all as they had been sent."

Henderson admitted delaying 1,611 postal packets between 13 July and 23 July last year at Edinburgh North West Delivery Office, Comely Bank.

He also admitted delaying a further 17 items of post between 12 June and 17 June last year also at the same delivery office.

All the delayed items eventually reached the intended recipients along with a letter of apology from the Royal Mail.

Defence agent Leanne McQuillan told the court:

"He struggled on for a number of months and simply did not deliver a number of items.

"His intention was he would catch up somehow but it spiralled out of control."