A postman who stole greeting cards in the hopes of finding cash to pay off a gambling debt has been given a suspended sentence.

Shane Brown (35) was caught with 39 stolen greeting card envelopes in November last year after An Post became aware of suspicious activity on his route and carried out a ‘sting’ operation by posting three ‘test’ greeting cards containing €90, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.

Brown, with an address in Bowbridge Court, Kilmainham, Co. Dublin, pleaded guilty to 36 counts of stealing stamped addressed envelopes which were in the care of An Post and one count of stealing €90 from An Post on November 1st, 2023.

Garda Olivia Tolster told Oisin Clarke , prosecuting, that the issue came to light when opened or “violated” mail was discovered by a member of the public strewn around a Dublin street on October 27th, 2023. This mail was traced back to a Shankill mail route and An Post started internal investigations.

As a result, three ‘test’ greeting cards each containing €30 were placed by An Post officials in different post boxes, with personnel put in place to monitor them. Gardaí were deployed to the sorting centre and when Brown was arrested there with 39 greeting cards on his person, including the three ‘test’ cards.

Six of the cards on Brown had been opened and were from the previous day’s route, the court heard. The remaining cards, including the test cards containing €90, were from his route that day.

Brown, who had worked as a postman for four years, lost his job as a result. He has no previous convictions.

Justin McQuade , defending, said Brown had run up an online gambling debt and owed money to money lenders in his area. He has since paid off this debt.

The court heard Brown has a long history of work and is in a long-term relationship with three young children. He is from a pro-social family and has not come to the attention of gardaí since this incident.

He is involved in voluntary and charitable work in his community and has since obtained new employment as a delivery driver, the court heard. He had €500 in court as a token of his remorse.

Sentencing Brown, Judge Orla Crowe said it was a very serious matter involving a breach of trust.

“This was An Post,” she said. “It was a position of unique trust within society where people send items of real importance.”

However, the judge noted there was more value in Brown contributing to society by “looking after his family, raising his children and working”.

She handed down a sentence of two years, which she suspended in full on a number of conditions, including that the €500 be handed over to An Post for any benevolent fund it may have.