Post Office manager Justin Faddes jailed for £103k theft
A "greedy" Post Office manager who went on the run after stealing more than £100,000 has been jailed for 27 months.
Justin Faddes, 36, of Rhyl, admitted taking the money from the safe at a sub-post office at a Spar store in Prestatyn where he worked in January.
Mold Crown Court heard he had alcohol and gambling addictions but claimed he gave £50,000 to a homeless man.
Judge Niclas Parry rejected that claim, saying: "It has gone over a bookie's shelf and over a bar."
The court heard Faddes had been manager at the post office since April 2017 and was the only one who had access to the safe.
CCTV showed he was the last person to leave on the day of the theft when he was seen carrying a bag over his shoulder.
'Breach of trust'
He did not turn up to work the next morning and when the safe was checked, £103,395 was missing, and there was a note from Faddes apologising for what he had done.
He went on the run, using false names and living in hotels around the country before he got lonely and handed himself into a police station in Liverpool in March.
When interviewed by officers, Faddes said his girlfriend had left him and he made the "selfish decision" to take the money to help him start a new life.
But after almost two months staying in hotels, he said he missed his family and was "tired of looking over his shoulder".
The court heard Faddes wrongly believed the company would be insured for the theft and claimed he handed the £50,000 he had left to a homeless man in Liverpool.
But CCTV proved this was untrue.
Judge Parry described Faddes' actions as a "senseless and wasteful theft" involving a significant sum of money - which amounted to two years' profit for the small sub-post office - and a serious breach of trust.
He added: "This is a case about greed."
Sarah Yates, defending, said while Faddes had previous convictions, he had acted out of character and it was clear he had drinking and gambling issues.