SIX men and a woman have appeared in court charged with conspiracy to defraud the Royal Mail.

It is alleged the group dishonestly submitted false compensation claims for lost parcels.

All the defendants appeared at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Each was unconditionally bailed after being sent to Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on Friday, March 19.

Aimar Wajad, aged 32, of Keelings Road, Stoke, faces four allegations of conspiracy to defraud on dates in 2008 and 2009 and a fifth charge of dishonestly obtaining employment with the Royal Mail in August 2002.

Aneel Babar, also aged 32, of Eaton Street, Hanley, is accused of four offences of conspiracy to defraud on dates between 2008 and 2009.

And Jonathan Thompson, aged 32, of Peascroft Road, Norton, is charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud between April 1 and October 2 last year, as is 26-year-old Christopher Glaze, of Kinver Street, Smallthorne.

Nicky Cartledge, aged 22, of Louvain Avenue, Sneyd Green, is charged with conspiracy to defraud between April 1 and October 7 last year.

Haylea Wood, aged 22, of Biddulph Road, Harriseahead, and Michael Ormond, aged 24, of Newcastle Road, Stoke, are accused of the same offence between March 1 and September 2 last year .