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Royal Mail involved in unlawful collective punishment

By John Hirst

Royal Mail involved in unlawful collective punishment

Royal Mail bosses have defended a decision to suspend deliveries to a Bradford street after a postman was attacked by a dog.

The delivery ban started after an incident involving a bull mastif on Penfield Grove, Bradford.

The postman was not thought to have been bitten by the animal but had to jump over a fence.

Residents claim they have to travel six miles to collect their mail. Royal Mail said the action was a "last resort".

I think it can be argued that Royal Mail has declared war on those living in Penfield Grove, Bradford, therefore the Geneva Convention ought to be applied...

In any event, those who have paid for letters to be delivered should sue for a breach of contract, and those who have to collect their letters should order a taxi and bill the Royal Mail to recover the expense.

It is also a criminal offence to deliberately interfere with and/or delay the Royal Mail.

"Section 58 of the Post Office Act 1953, enacts that:

?(1) If any officer of the Post Office, contrary to his duty ? wilfully detains or delays, or procures or suffers to be detained or delayed, any ? postal packet [in course of transmission by post], he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and be liable to imprisonment [for a term not exceeding two years] or to a fine, or to both: ??

And by section 68 of the same Act:

?If any person solicits or endeavours to procure any other person to commit an offence punishable on indictment under this Act, he shall [*503] be guilty of a misdemeanour and be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.?".

Full post as published by prisonlawinsideout on January 27, 2009 (boomark / email).