According to Postcomm, the circumstances in the case were serious enough to warrant prosecution. It alleged that the defendant had dumped "a substantial proportion" of the magazines he had been employed to deliver.
After pleading guilty, the defendant was sentenced to 40 hours community service and ordered to pay £1,000 towards costs. The district judge, who heard the case on January 17 at Nottingham Magistrates Court, said that prison was an option in this type of case and underlined the serious nature of the offence.
Previous instances of mail dumping by licensed operators have been dealt with by the issuing of official Home Office cautions to the offending delivery personnel. The prosecution was brought under Section 83 of the Postal Services Act 2000, which criminalises interference with mail.
Royal Mail has its own procedures for dealing with offences committed by its staff.
A spokeswoman for Postcomm said that Express fully supported the prosecution and worked with Postcomm throughout the investigation.
Express was granted its long-term licence, which runs for a minimum of seven years, in April 2003.
Postcomm's chief executive Sarah Chambers said: "The sentence and the judge's comments make clear the very serious nature of this type of crime -- offenders face severe penalties, even the possibility of a prison sentence. We hope the outcome of this case will send a strong message -- to customers and postal operatives -- that mail dumping will not be tolerated."
There have been five instances of mail abuse by licensed operators, which have resulted in Home Office cautions.
Operators licensed by Postcomm include Royal Mail, UK Mail, DX Network Services, TPG Post, Express, Speedmail International, Deutsche Post Global Mail, Special Mail Services, Alternative Mail & Parcels, Securicor Omega Express, and TNT UK.
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