A FORMER York postman has escaped jail after bringing "utter shame" on himself and his family by trying to steal cash from birthday cards.

Young father Martin James Harper, 21, also took a music CD from a parcel ordered by a York resident.

City magistrates heard Harper heaped "utter shame" on himself and his family while working part-time at Royal Mail's delivery office in Birch Lane, York.

Andrew Gold, prosecuting for Royal Mail, said a manager raised the alarm in September after spotting two items of mail open in Harper's delivery round.

A surveillance operation was mounted, and the defendant was caught binning both packages, which had been placed back in his bag.

In interview, Harper admitted stealing a CD by The Darkness and opening four birthday cards, addressed to different people, in fruitless searches for cash. The CD was later found in a home search and he left the company.

Damien Morrison, mitigating, said this was the extent of Harper's crime and was not the "tip of the iceberg". The theft was uncovered through a routine check, the court heard.

He said his client was at a loss to explain his behaviour, while carrying out a job he had enjoyed for six months.

Mr Morrison said: "Unfortunately he did not resist temptation...clearly he significantly breached the trust of his employers by tampering with packages."

Magistrates were told the conduct of Harper, who had no previous convictions, had brought "utter shame" on his family.

Harper, of Byland Avenue, York, admitted a charge of theft on September 11 at an earlier hearing.

His case had been adjourned for an all-options pre-sentence report and Mr Morrison said his client expected to be jailed.

But magistrates yesterday gave Harper 150 hours' community punishment and told him to pay £220 costs.

They said his actions were a "serious breach of trust".

Speaking after the verdict, a Royal Mail spokesman said: "The overwhelming majority of our staff are honest and trustworthy.

"When cases like this come to light, which are rare, we always take appropriate action against the individual. This can include court action."

Updated: 10:36 Friday, December 19, 2003