A FORMER postman who claimed he only opened damaged parcels he was delivering so he could return them to his depot has pleaded guilty to theft.

Dave Gunningham, of Ingle Road, Chatham, was employed by the Royal Mail at its Rochester depot for about five-and-a-half months last year.

Medway magistrates heard that in July last year Gunningham was out on his delivery route when a resident heard the sound of ripping cardboard.

The resident saw Gunningham, doing something in a nearby alleyway, but could not see what he was doing. After the postman had left, the resident went to investigate and found three open and empty cardboard packages in a bin.

The resident contacted the Royal Mail, which carried out an investigation before contacting the police.

The packages were from Britannia, a company which sends out CDs and DVDs.

Gunningham's solicitor Derek Hayward told the bench how the defendant had only opened the packages because they were already damaged.

He said Gunningham had never intended to steal the packages and had decided to take them back to the depot so the packages could be put back in for delivery the next day.

Mr Hayward said: "Mr Gunningham has now got other employment as a care worker and is trying to sort out his life for the future."

Magistrates adjourned the case until March 1 for pre-sentencing reports.