A GWENT postman who said panic attacks meant he fail-ed to deliver almost 25,000 items of mail was given a suspended prison sentence yesterday.

Russell Newman, aged 47, of Trinant Terrace near Crumlin, had previously pleaded guilty to intentionally delaying 24,927 postal packets.

He was given an eight month prison sentence suspended for two years.

Newport crown court heard that Newman (pictured) said in a police interview: "It got to the stage where I would look at the mail and have a panic attack. I would not know what to do."

He added: "By throwing them in the shed I would forget about it."

Simon Hughes representing the Royal Mail told the court that Newman kept the post in his home and his car because he could not cope with the amount of work.

Mr Hughes said Newman had worked for the Royal Mail for about 18 months and was suspended in July this year following an investigation.

He said that people living in Y Gwyddon, Cwmcarn had been reporting undelivered mail and when Newman's duties were changed, the complaints stopped.

Investigators introduced six test packages into the system to observe New-man and only three were delivered.

Investigators also noticed packages in Newman's private car and performed a citizen's arrest when he refused to let them search the vehicle.

The police were informed and officers recovered 12 Royal Mail bags from his car and 110 bags from his home, all full of post.

The earliest date on the postal packages was February 18, 2003, and door to door mail shots for which Newman received extra payments dated back to December 2002.

Mr Hughes said that it had cost the Royal Mail about £2,000 to redeliver the post.

Lawrence Jones, for Newman, said: "There was no dishonesty and no theft.

"This is a man struggling, if not drowning, under the weight of the responsibilities he had.

"He has lost his family, his wife and his job."

Mr Jones said Newman resigned and is now on Incapacity Benefit as a result of depression.

Judge David Morris said: "This is quite simply a case of a postman who found the duties of the job so onerous he suffered a breakdown and felt unable to carry out his duties.

"If postmen cannot be trusted to carry out their duties properly, confidence in the Royal Mail system is swiftly lost."

He ordered Newman to pay £700 prosecution costs.