A Royal Mail manager who stole hundreds of items of mail over five years, including bank cards, a driving licence and football tickets, has been jailed for 18 months.

Mohammed Mustaq, 25, acting delivery manager at the Bradford North Delivery Office, was “caught red-handed” with a hoard of postal packages at his home, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He stole a woman’s bank card and pin number and withdrew £500 from her account and obtained £20 of mobile phone credit with a man’s bank details.

Mustaq, of Saltburn Place, Toller Lane, Bradford, pleaded guilty last month to 12 charges of theft, three of fraud and two of interfering with the mail.

Prosecutor Simon Beaumont told the court yesterday Mustaq was in charge of a team of postmen and delivered mail himself when cover was needed.

In June last year, investigors began a surveillance operation after items of mail were reported missing.

Mustaq was caught on CCTV camera putting packages containing foreign coins into a big white envelope.

Ten postal packets were seized from his work area, containing £600 worth of Turkish currency.

A search of his home revealed more than 300 items of mail, 13 of which had been opened.