Postal courier sentenced after documents, letters and cards were discovered at his Cork home
A postal courier was given a six-month suspended jail term in a case where documents, letters and cards dating over a five-year period were discovered at his home. Picture: iStock
A postal courier was given a six-month suspended jail term in a case where documents, letters and cards dating over a five-year period were discovered at his home.
Judge Olann Kelleher said, “This was a complete breach of trust by a man delivering documents for solicitors and firms in the city.
“It would normally warrant a custodial sentence. But he has no previous convictions. He is an introverted man – a bit of a loner. And he could not cope but that does not excuse what he was doing. He expressed his apology and remorse. He has no previous convictions and he has some remorse.
The judge previously cited a probation report which referred to the need for the accused to manage his mental health and develop victim awareness.
Inspector Mary Skehan said most of the post that went missing consisted of letters. There had been a concern about the possibility of title documents going missing because the accused had couriered for lawyers’ offices. Insp Skehan confirmed this had not occurred.
Garda Paul Lynch previously charged Leonard O’Mahony of Amberley Avenue, Grange, Cork, with four counts of handling stolen property and 52 counts of theft spanning a period from 2014 to 2019.
Leonard O’Mahony, 56, worked as a courier for 14 years and as part of his work he took post to and from solicitors’ offices. A complaint was made by the office manager in one of these offices when a one-for-all voucher valued €100 went missing. On investigation it turned out that the voucher had been spent at Supervalu in Grange. Similarly, there was a complaint in relation to a second voucher for €30 and this had also been spent at the same store.
This led gardaí to suspect Leonard O’Mahony and call to his home to conduct a search.
Sergeant John Kelleher said, “A large quantity of DX mail - opened and unopened - from December 2014 was found. He admitted he had taken cards, letters and documents from his place of work.”
Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said, “Originally from Turner’s Cross, he has worked all his life. From 1986 to 2006 he worked as a publican in various establishments. He went working for DX Couriers from 2006.”
Mr Burke said that initially there were logistical reasons for the defendant bringing post to his home but “he ended up going through the post at home.”
“A knock came on the door and all these letters were inside in his house. He hadn’t even disposed of them. He did not even have the wherewithal to burn them or dispose of them,” the solicitor said.
Mr Burke said some of the post was not even opened.
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