A Bradford sub postmaster “plundered” thousands of pounds from his employers in a postage stamp scam, a court heard yesterday.

Khayyam Ishaq had a considerable degree of responsibility at Birkenshaw Post Office, Bradford, and had breached a high degree of trust, Bradford Crown Court was told.

Jailing him for 54 weeks, Judge John Potter told him: “You were trusted with large sums of money, and stock, by your employer that you did choose to plunder over the period of this theft.”

The judge said Ishaq had stolen money, paid to the post office for the purchase of stamps, over five months and then sought to cover up his dishonesty by a number of sales reversals which made it look as if the stamps had never been sold.

Simon Clarke, prosecuting on behalf of Post Office Counters, said the sub postmaster used an automated computer system at the post office, designed to balance the books, to cover up the theft. The total loss to the post office was £17,863.

Mr Clarke said on at least one occasion Ishaq used his assistant’s password to get into the computer system.

The theft was discovered during a routine audit and Ishaq was arrested.

Mr Clarke said he tried to lay the blame for his activities at the door of others and then claimed the system had malfunctioned.

The prosecutor added: “He abused that position of trust in order to steal the money.”

Ishaq, of Brewerton Lane, Dewsbury, pleaded guilty to theft.

In mitigation his barrister, Adam Birkby, said it was an unsophisticated theft which was bound to be discovered.

Mr Birkby said his client, who was of previous good character, was a university-educated, hard-working family man.

He had not stolen money from customer’s accounts or pensions.

Mr Birkby said the money had been used to prop-up the financial difficulties of the business.

But Judge Potter told the defendant: “Whatever the reasons for stealing the money, there is absolutely no excuse for that behaviour.”