A SUB-POSTMASTER who admitted stealing more than £15,000 from a Suffolk post office has spoken of his relief after he was spared an immediate jail term.

A SUB-POSTMASTER who admitted stealing more than £15,000 from a Suffolk post office has spoken of his relief after he was spared an immediate jail term.

Kevin Howells, 40, of Acton Stores, Acton used lottery takings to subsidise the shop he was running alongside the post office at Acton, near Sudbury, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

After hearing that Howells had no previous convictions and intended to repay the money he had stolen, Judge Neil McKittrick agreed to suspend a 12-month prison sentence for two years.

Following the case, Howells said: "The last year or so has been so stressful and I am just glad that it is all over.

"I have to accept what I have done but my concern was for my wife and daughter. I changed my plea to guilty to avoid a custodial sentence.

"Since we lost the post office and just kept the shop, things have improved and the shop is doing much better. I would just like to thank the customers for their support throughout this ordeal."

As well as the suspended sentence Howells was ordered to carry out 250 hours unpaid work in the community and to pay £16,503 compensation to the Post Office along with £14,000 prosecution costs and £4,810 towards his defence costs within 12 months.