A Dash delivery driver who stole parcels and sold them for cash said he was desperate for money to feed his children after his wife died unexpectedly.

Robert Gardner, aged 48, of Penbothidno, Constantine appeared for sentencing at Truro Crown Court today after pleading guilty to four charges of the theft from employee.

The court heard that Gardner had only been working for Dash Logistics for 22 days following a period on benefits before he was caught on CCTV stealing a parcel containing a bike worth more nearly £600.

The prosecution told the court the vehicles were fitted with cameras and collected from the Bodmin depot each day then returned to the Barncoose Industrial Estate at the end of the day.

On May 4 last year DX Freight complained that a large brown box containing the Evans bike had gone missing on April 26.

Dash found that Gardner had collected the parcel in his van from the DX Freight depot which was clearly marked with the words Evan Cycles.

CCTV footage showed him picking the parcel up from a pile intended to be collected by a different driver and putting it in his van.

He then set off to make his deliveries for the day but deviated from his prescribed route by stopping at Tonkins Yard in St Day.

CCTV caught him handing over the box to a member of staff at Tonkins.

Dash’s fleet manager investigated further and found that on three earlier occasions Gardner had dropped off parcels at Tonkins rather than dropping off at the intended recipients.

These included on April 4 last year he loaded a Lazy Jacks parcel onto his van from DX Freight Depot and made another unauthorised stop at Tonkins and handed it over to a member of staff.

“He could be heard on CCTV having a conversation with that member of staff about cash payment in exchange for the parcel,” said the prosecution barrister.

Then on the twelfth of April he loaded an inflatable swimming pool which was boxed up valued at £299 onto his van and took it to Tonkins.

Then on the 19th of April he took a parcel of clothes and drove to Tonkins and handed that over to an employee.

He voluntarily attended a police interview last year and fully admitted stealing the parcels. He said his wife had died two years ago and he was a single father at the time of the thefts. He said he stole the parcels to sell for cash to be able to feed his children.

He said 12 years previously he’d worked for Tonkins at United Downs yard collecting parcels from DX Freight in Bodmin.

A probation report read out in court sat Gardner had been struggling on his own following the death of his wife which had happened within a matter of weeks following her diagnosis.

“Prior to that life had been very happy and stable,” said Probation Officer Mr Joliffe. “Ever since then he had struggled with his own health issues and financially.

“He tells me it was simply desperation as he didn’t have the financial resources with only a few pence in the electric meter.”

He said there was someone else was clearly involved in this escapade in the background.

Sentencing Gardner to three months in prison suspended for two years for each count to run concurrently, Judge Simon Carr said he accepted that the circumstances were “extremely tragic”.

“You were dealing with the consequences of the death of your wife and the fact you had become a single parent,” he said.

“You had also been on benefits for a considerable amount of time and I know the difference between stopping your benefits and getting your first wages in arrears can create particular problems.”

Gardner was also ordered to undertake mental health treatment.