A former Dales sub-postmaster who used Post Office money to bale out his struggling village store business has avoided a prison sentence.

Douglas McLellan, who had run the Kettlewell sub-post office from his grocery store since January 1996, transferred £7,000 during a five-week period after his business got into cash-flow problems at the end of 1998.

The discrepancies in the post office accounts came to light during surprise audits. Yesterday McLellan, 48, pleaded guilty to four charges of false accounting and one of furnishing false information for an audit. A further charge of theft was ordered to be left on file.

Bradford Crown Court was told that he always intended to pay the money back and in fact he did hand over the whole £7,000 on the day of the last surprise audit.

Assistant Recorder Stephen Wood said the offences were a serious breach of trust and would normally attract a custodial sentence.

McLellan was ordered to carry out 200 hours community service and to pay £1,500 costs.

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