by Joe Walker

A thieving postman swiped almost £8,000 cash from parcels to fund his £1,000-a-day cocaine habit.

Greedy Simon Brooks stole the huge sum from mail at the Faversham delivery office in a desperate attempt to feed his spiralling drug addiction.

But he was rumbled after an undercover surveillance operation caught him in the act.

The 30-year-old - a postman for 12 years - appeared at Sittingbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday and admitted stealing £7,660 in foreign currency from special mail packages.

He said he needed the cash to fund his drug use, which had seen him rack up crippling debts of £140,000.

The court heard bosses at the East Street office first started growing suspicious after three of the parcels - which have to be signed in and out - went missing in August.

Four days later another package disappeared without trace.

Undercover investigators were called in and planted four parcels in the office.

Brooks, of St Catherine's Drive, Faversham, was busted on September 16.

Prosecuting for the Royal Mail, Tom Hoskins said: "He was seen to go straight to the area where the parcels were stored.

"He remained there for a matter of moments before going to the toilet, emerging soon after with a large packet in one of his trouser pockets."

The investigators pounced on Brooks and hauled him into the manager's office.

He immediately handed over the packet, which contained 500 Euros in cash.

He was then quizzed about seven other packages that had disappeared previously, admitting to taking them all.

Mr Hoskins added Brooks was "embarrassed and ashamed" of his actions.

He said: "He indicated he was actually relieved to have been caught as it has allowed him to address his problems."

Defending, Kerry Waitt said Brooks had an "excellent working history" for the Royal Mail and had made efforts to repay the money.

He added: "Although these thefts involved a breach of trust, they were not aggravated by any complexities.

"He hasn't gained access to areas using other people's passes and he hasn't sought to place blame on other members of staff. There is no smoke screen.

"He has displayed an expression of genuine remorse and apology."

The case was adjourned for reports and sent to crown court for sentencing