A delivery driver who stole packages in his care and sold them on the Internet site eBay, is today (December 21) starting a nine-month prison sentence.

Paul Dobbin, 35, of Kerwood Close, Woodstock, also managed to avoid postal costs by sending the packages through his company.

At Oxford Crown Court yesterday, Dobbin pleaded guilty to six charges of theft, one of obtaining services by deception and one of attempting to obtain property by deception.

Victoria Walters, prosecuting, told the court that Dobbin had been working for DHL Express -- picking up packages from companies and bringing them back to the office for barcoding, before delivering them.

Between August 2002 and May 2004 he began taking items from the packages, as well as items in boxes at the office.

The items included a car radio, Harry Potter Playstation games, sunglasses, DVDs and CDs.

The loss to DHL Express, which often had to pay compensation to those due to receive the packages, was estimated at about £1,500.

Claire Fraser, defending, said that Dobbin claimed lots of other people in the office were doing the same thing -- particularly with items that were lying around the office for several days, as they believed they would only end up in lost property.

She said Dobbin only took items that he was carrying if the packages were already split or damaged by water.

Sentencing Dobbin, recorder AJ Bright said: "This is a gross breach of trust by an employee, and not just from your employer but from those for whom the items were intended."

He sentenced Dobbin to six months for each count of theft, three months for obtaining services by deception, and two months for attempting to obtain property by deception.

The sentences will run concurrently.