A MAN who escaped from jail teamed up with a gang of post office employees to steal mail bags, a court was told today.

And Gareth Tuvnes, 24, was even given Royal Mail uniforms to disguise himself so he could take post from "safe" pick-up points.

He used stolen credit cards taken from envelopes to obtain property worth £17,000 after escaping from Prescoed prison in Usk, said prosecutor Leighton Hughes.

Tuvnes, of St Michael Street, Pill, told the police he had used about 50 credit cards and passed some on to criminal acquaintances and would sometimes obtain property to order.

When asked how many post office workers were involved with him he said: "They would probably have to shut down the post office if they knew how many were stealing."

Tuvnes was jailed for four years three months and banned from driving for a year after he admitted stealing seven mailbags, escape and driving without due care.

He also admitted obtaining electrical goods by deception and attempting to obtain £484 by deception from the Money Shop Newport. He asked the court to take into consideration 42 offences of deception and attempted deception.

Judge Gerald Price described him as a "sophisticated criminal." "The thefts of the mailbags were well organised crimes planned with Royal Mail employees."

Mr Hughes said that on August 27 Tuvnes received 27 months for conspiring to steal. On September 23 he absconded from HMP Prescoed. He was at large until October 25 and during that time he persistently offended.