Postman in rooftop protest avoids jail
A POSTMAN sacked for staging a rooftop protest has avoided a jail sentence.
Paul Dawson scaled Royal Mail's Burslem delivery office for the second time on August 11, minutes after being sacked for a previous rooftop demonstration in March.
The 40-year-old from Ball Green, was one of 12 employees suspended at Burslem two years ago over allegations of bullying, which sparked weeks of strikes by sympathetic colleagues.
He was exonerated, but climbed on to the roof in March to demand a public apology from the firm.
That apology was issued, but his second protest saw him charged with trespass and willfully delaying the post.
Mr Dawson, who had worked for Royal Mail for 20 years, was given a six-month community order at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court in Fenton yesterday.
He had pleaded guilty to aggravated trespass at an earlier hearing, but his case had been adjourned for reports.
Laura Jones, prosecuting, told the court 25,000 items of mail were not delivered on August 11, because 70 members of staff were forced to stay outside the depot while Mr Dawson was on the roof.
Another 130 special deliveries failed to arrive before the 1pm deadline.
Miss Jones said: "A police negotiator at the scene said Mr Dawson refused requests to come down from the roof and said it was his intention to cause as much distress as possible for Royal Mail.
"He said he believed he had been wrongly dismissed and went on to the roof to draw attention and publicity to how he had been unfairly treated."
Kevin Mortlock, defending, said Mr Dawson's judgment on August 11 had been clouded by his emotions.
He said: "He was at a very low ebb after being dismissed.
"Since 2006 he had problems with his employer and his father was diagnosed and died from cancer.
"Mr Dawson fell into a state of depression and the situation has had a significant impact upon him."
The father-of-one appealed against his sacking in August, but discovered just before Christmas that his dismissal had been upheld.
He applied for an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal in December and is waiting for a date to be set for his case to be heard.
After yesterday's hearing Mr Dawson told The Sentinel the sentence was "a massive relief".
He said: "I've been waiting months for this. At the end of the day I'm not a criminal and I do not feel what I did was a criminal offence.
"At the last hearing the magistrates said a custodial sentence was an option, but I feel it would have been an injustice if I'd been sent to prison.
"The sentence I received is a good result and I can now start to move forward."
Mr Dawson's partner and mother of his seven-month-old son Joel, Jenny Hulme, said: "I'm very relieved. We can now look to the future."
26 Comments
View all
by Anon, Newcastle
Thursday, February 18 2010, 3:30PM
“Why does Miss Dawson think it is appropriate and acceptable to be rude to those people who have left a comment on this page!
Everybody is entitled to an opinion whether in favour or against.
This man must be over the moon with the publicity he has received.”
by claire, burslem
Thursday, February 18 2010, 2:26PM
“rob ,paul has got massive support from his many friends and family they are the people who count you are nobody and nothing to us your comments mean jack to us so enjoy your little slagging off sessions you need to wake up your making youself look really silly im not replying to you again got better things to do see ya !!!! claire dawson.”
by claire, burslem
Wednesday, February 17 2010, 11:09PM
“to kat in lightwood thanks i have had a good day your comment made me laugh your such a joke!!!your right you dont know anything about me so you have,nt a clue what your on about your really pathetic feel free to comment back i wont be as your not worth my time you silly little woman !!! nice not knowing you claire dawson.”
by james, tunstall
Wednesday, February 17 2010, 5:18PM
“I agree with Rob. Who in their right mind puts their job before their responsibilities of been a parent... PRIORITIES.. get them right.
Now you have no job and a criminal record. And by the looks of things you don't even regret your actions.
learn the art of professional conduct and beat the managers at their own games.
GOOD LUCK to you and hope you get some where with your tribunal.
And as for his sister, leave her alone. she is doing what families do and thats stick together.”
by robert, Newcastle under lyme
Tuesday, February 16 2010, 11:57AM
“Clare your commitment to your convicted brother is commendable. I do have a very good job and it has not taken roof top protests to get me there. I like the majority of people on this site do not want our taxes wasted on fruitless fame to highlight a tribunal that if it has any common sense will say Paul you did the crime now do the time. If it was anyone else on here who had done a roof top protest knowing what Paul new having a baby on the way and been made aware how serious this was after his first protest you would agree and not got into battles with almost every writer on here. However you insist on taking cheap shots at everyone else to distract the attention away from Paul hoping that this will give you some sort of moral ground. Well wake up girl, you are making yourself look as daft as he was for scaling the roof!!
Hope the spelling and punctuation meets with your approval if not Tuff!!!!”
by kat, lightwood
Tuesday, February 16 2010, 11:02AM
“I think this man has lms little man syndrome he needs to get in the real world and grow up all he's done is act like a spoilt child who didnt get his own way and by the sounds off his sister it obviously runs in the family. I suggest you pair grow up as Paul you'll find it hard to get a job now and as for Claire where do you think you are in the school yard calling people cowards because they wouldnt stand on a roof to protest, ha ha ha you do make me laugh i dont know wether or not you pair have children but i do hope you raise them with morals a sense off responsibility and an understanding of the law and respect for others not like your parents have with you. Claire before you get on your soap box i have a good job, nice house and fantastic friends and family now try and slate me for something else. Oh have a good day”
by claire, burslem
Monday, February 15 2010, 11:21PM
“to rob kettle have you got a job? your spellings terrible i think you could do with going back to school !!!! what took you so long to submit another pointless comment your so predictable grow up and move on rob we have happily claire dawson.”
by rob kettle, newcastle
Saturday, February 13 2010, 10:53PM
“Paul you seem to have got off scott free however don't forget to tell your next employer you have a criminal conviction that is if they haven't seen you have your 5 minutes of fame already. They have just built a new KFC near me perhaps you should think about applying there!!! Bye the was my sis says good luck you will need it.”
by william, newcstle
Monday, February 08 2010, 4:14PM
“well said anon newcastle but im afraid your coments like mine will fall on deaf ears with the attitude his sister has if he and it seems likely has the same attitude no wonder he was taken to court, he will find it hard to get employment with the chip on his shoulder so perhaps he should try to get a job as a roofer ,at least its what he does best ha ha”
by Anon, Newcastle
Monday, February 08 2010, 2:27PM
“Has Miss Dawson not heard of "Freedom of Speech". There are two sides to every story and Miss Dawson only knows her brothers side of things.
In any organisation there are procedures in place if an individual feels he or she has been unfairly treated and going on a roof is not the correct way to do things.
If Mr Dawson has not already found alternative employment how is he likely to find employment when everyone in Staffordshire knows what he has done, gone on the roof to protest!
I would be interested to know if he regrets his actions!!”