A part-time postman who failed to deliver hundreds of items of junk mail has been ordered to do 180 hours' community service work.

Carl Hopkins, of Foxhill Avenue, Queensbury, pleaded guilty at the city's magistrates court earlier this month to two charges of delaying postal packets and one of opening a postal packet.

Hopkins, 21, was bailed pending the preparation of a pre-sentence report and appeared before the court again yesterday.

At the previous hearing Michael O'Garra, prosecuting, said Hopkins resigned from his job after 846 undelivered letters - 753 of them unsolicited mail - were found at his former home in York Street, Queensbury, last December.

A further 44 letters were found at his present address.

When interviewed by Post Office investigators Hopkins claimed he was facing domestic and financial problems, said Mr O'Garra.

At the time, he was living with friends who were prone to partying late into the night, while he had to get up early for work.

Paul Fitzpatrick, mitigating, said the offences mainly in-volved junk mail and Hopkins had not stolen anything or benefited in any way.

Hopkins had always intended to deliver the unsolicited mail, but he did not get round to it, said Mr Fitzpatrick.

The magistrates also ordered Hopkins to pay compensation totalling £495.