Loving mother saves thief from jail term

A DESPERATE young dad stole thousands of pounds in cash from a Post Office in Oldham run by his mother after being threatened over drug debts.

Christopher Dugdale (23) who was employed as an assistant, stuffed wads of money into his coat pockets before leaving at night.

Over a period he took around £20,000, which he gave to the dealers harassing him.

He escaped an immediate jail sentence when he appeared at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court after his mum made a plea on his behalf.

She wrote: “I believe Chris viewed this as borrowing off me. I have lost my business, I am on the verge of losing my home. I don’t deserve to lose my son as well.”

Sentencing him to an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, Judge Jonathan Geake told him: “It was a wholly dishonest, wholly inappropriate, and criminal way of sorting out your problems.”

The Post Office stands to be repaid a substantial part of its losses.

Dugdale fiddled the books, and inflated balances to cover the thefts.

He was found out when an audit showed a substantial shortage. Discrepancies amounted to a total of more than £46,000 — most of which Post Office staff haven’t been able to account for.

Follow us on Twitter - @OldhamChronicle