POL00118858
POL00118858
Memo Royal Mail
The Real Network
5” February 2008 Legal Services
3" Floor
a 6a Eccleston Street
Investigation Team Post Office Limited Victoria
LONDON SW1W 9LT
c.c. Graham Brander
Press Office
www.royalmail.com
REGINA v JOSEPHINE HAMILTON
CASE NO: POLTD/0506/0685
The above named Defendant appeared at Winchester Crown Court for Sentence on
the 4" February 2008 having previously pleaded Guilty to Counts 2 — 15 on the
Indictment. Count 1 (theft) is to lie on the file. Having pleaded Guilty the Court
imposed the following Sentence:-
CHARGE SENTENCE
1 Between the 1* day of October 2003 and 9" day I To lie on the file
of March 2006 stole £36,644.89 in money
belonging to Post Office Limited (Contrary to
Section 1(1) of the Theft Act 1968)
2 On or about the 1% day of December 2004 I Community Order and Supervision Order
dishonestly and with a view to gain for herself or I for 12 months
another or with intent to cause loss to another
falsified an account made or required for an
accounting process, namely a weekly cash
account record for the cash accounting period
ending 1% December 2004 [‘CAP 36'], by
recording that the cash on hand was £15,951.92
when in fact the true amount was less (Contrary
to Section 17(1) of the Theft Act 1968)
3 On or about the 5" day of January 2005 “
dishonestly and with a view to gain for herself or
another or with intent to cause loss to another
falsified an account made or required for an
accounting process, namely a weekly cash
account record for the cash accounting period
ending 5 January 2005 [‘CAP 41’] by recording
that the cash on hand was £21,345.34 when in
fact the true amount was less (Contrary to
Section 17(1) of the Theft Act 1968)
© Royal Mail 2002 - Page 1 of 5
Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group plo. Registered number 4138203
Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V 9HQ
Memo
Cont...
POL00118858
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On or about the 2°! day of February 2005
dishonestly and with a view to gain for herself or
another or with intent to cause loss to another
falsified an account made or required for an
accounting process, namely a weekly cash
account record for the cash accounting period
ending 2" February 2005 [‘CAP 45’] by recording
that the cash on hand was £15,401.07 when in
fact the true amount was less (Contrary to
Section 17(1) of the Theft Act 1968)
On or about the 2% day of March 2005
dishonestly and with a view to gain for herself or
another or with intent to cause loss to another
falsified an account made or required for an
accounting process, namely a weekly cash
account record for the cash accounting period
ending 2" March 2005 [‘CAP 49'] by recording
that the cash on hand was £14,944.55 when in
fact the true amount was less (Contrary to
Section 17(1) of the Theft Act 1968)
On or about the 6" day of April 2005 dishonestly
and with a view to gain for herself or another or
with intent to cause loss to another falsified an
account made or required for an accounting
process, namely a weekly cash account record
for the cash accounting period ending 6" April
2005 [‘CAP 2'] by recording that the cash on hand
was £18,578.14 when in fact the true amount was
less (Contrary to Section 17(1) of the Theft Act
1968)
On or about the 4" day of May 2005 dishonestly
and with a view to gain for herself or another or
with intent to cause loss to another falsified an
account made or required for an accounting
process, namely a weekly cash account record
for the cash accounting period ending 4° May
2005 [‘CAP 6'] by recording that the cash on hand
was £18,813.67 when in fact the true amount was
less (Contrary to Section 17(1) of the Theft Act
1968)
© Royal Mail 2002 - Page 2 of 5
Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group plo. Registered number 4138203
Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V 9HQ
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Memo
Cont...
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On or about the 1* day of June 2005 dishonestly
and with a view to gain for herself or another or
with intent to cause loss to another falsified an
account made or required for an accounting
process, namely a weekly cash account record
for the cash accounting period ending 1* June
2005 [‘CAP 10'] by recording that the cash on
hand was £19,250.58 when in fact the true
amount was less (Contrary to Section 17(1) of the
Theft Act 1968)
On or about the 13" day of July 2005 dishonestly
and with a view to gain for herself or another or
with intent to cause loss to another falsified an
account made or required for an accounting
process, namely a weekly cash account record
for the cash accounting period ending 13" July
2005 [‘CAP 16'] by recording that the cash on
hand figure was £22,423.18 when in fact the true
amount was less (Contrary to Section 17(1) of the
Theft Act 1968)
10
On or about the 3% day of August 2005
dishonestly and with a view to gain for herself or
another or with intent to cause loss to another
falsified an account made or required for an
accounting process, namely a weekly cash
account record for the cash accounting period
ending 3 August 2005 [‘CAP 19'] by recording
that the cash on hand was £23,349.29 when in
fact the true amount was less (Contrary to
Section 17(1) of the Theft Act 1968)
11
On or about the 7" day of September 2005
dishonestly and with a view to gain for herself or
another or with intent to cause loss to another
falsified an account made or required for an
accounting process, namely a weekly cash
account record for the cash accounting period
ending 7" September 2005 [‘'CAP 24'] by
recording that the cash on hand was £23,470.76
when in fact the true amount was less (Contrary
to Section 17(1) of the Theft Act 1968)
© Royal Mail 2002 - Page 3 of 5
Royal Mail
Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V SHQ
isa trading name of Royal Mail Group plo. Registered number 4138203
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Memo
Cont...
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12
On or about the 5 October 2005 dishonestly and
with a view to gain for herself or another or with
intent to cause loss to another falsified an
account made or required for an accounting
process, namely a weekly cash account record
for the cash accounting period ending 5" October
2005 [‘CAP 28'] by recording that the cash on
hand was £26,393.96 when in fact the true
amount was less (Contrary to Section 17(1) of the
Theft Act 1968)
13
On or about the 7° day of December 2005
dishonestly and with a view to gain for herself or
another or with intent to cause loss to another
falsified an account made or required for an
accounting process, namely a final branch trading
statement for the period ending 7° December
2005 [‘BTP 8'] by recording that the cash on hand
was £29,977.65 when in fact the true amount was
less (Contrary to Section 17(1) of the Theft Act
1968)
14
On or about the 13" January 2006 dishonestly
and with a view to gain for herself or another or
with intent to cause loss to another falsified an
account made or required for an accounting
process, namely a final branch trading statement
for the period ending 13" January 2006 [‘BTP 9']
by recording that the cash on hand was
£32,629.81 when in fact the true amount was less
(Contrary to Section 17(1) of the Theft Act 1968)
15
On or about the 8” day of February 2006
dishonestly and with a view to gain for herself or
another or with intent to cause loss to another
falsified an account made or required for an
accounting process, namely a final branch trading
statement for the period ending 8" February 2006
[‘BTP 10'] by recording that the cash on hand was
£35,515.83 when in fact the true amount was less
(Contrary to Section 17(1) of the Theft Act 1968)
The Defendant was ordered to pay £1,000 prosecution costs.
© Royal Mail 2002 - Page 4 of 5
Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group plo. Registered number 4138203
Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V SHQ
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POL00118858
POL00118858
Memo
Cont...
The Guilty pleas were acceptable to the prosecution on the basis that the Defendant
paid back the money prior to sentence. Her Solicitor Issy Hogg, a partner in Tanner
and Taylor was in Court who confirmed that the sum of £36,644.89 was currently in
Client Account together with the £1,000 costs and signed an undertaking that the
money be paid to the Post Office within 14 days.
There were at least 30-40 villagers in Court who gave their support to Mrs Hamilton
and the Lady Reverend of the Village gave character evidence from the witness box.
In passing sentence the Judge said that at some stage the Defendant had gone from
being in a muddle to being dishonest and it turned into fraud. He accepted the wholly
exceptional circumstances in passing sentence.
Phil Taylor
Legal Executive
Criminal Law Division
Ref: CRM/253367/JMcF/PT
© Royal Mail 2002 - Page § of 5
Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group plo. Registered number 4138203
Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V 9HQ
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