Four jailed over £700,000 fraud after Post Office didn't realise a branch had closed

Ringleader Manish Parma has been jailed for six and a half years Credit: Hampshire Police

A former postmaster from Southampton who defrauded the Post Office out of more than £700,000 after the organisation didn’t realise one of its branches had closed, is starting a six and a half year jail sentence.

Manish Parmar recruited 11 other men to launder money from a defunct Post Office in Totton, by putting in fraudulent pay-in slips.

The slips were sent to the organisation’s headquarters before the money was put into the gang’s personal banking accounts

Parmar, 34, of Wilton Road, Southampton and his family ran the post office within Goldsmiths (Best One) newsagent’s in Rumbridge Street, Totton.

Parmar was postmaster from 2011 until the branch closed in December 2014, but he continued to use his knowledge and one of the post office branch stamps to perpetrate the fraud.

He “recruited” 11 other people to let him use their bank paying in slips from 2015 until early 2016.

The slips were posted and processed as if the post office was still trading.

A total of £701,835 was paid fraudulently into the bank accounts of Parmar and the others.

Parmar was found guilty of fraud and two counts of money laundering, and sentenced at Southampton Crown Court to six years and six months in prison.

Ten of the other defendants pleaded guilty to money laundering and were sentenced on 27 April as follows:

  • Asir Karakulah, 35, of Station Road North, Totton - 30 months in prison

  • Philip Maidment, 37, of Testbourne Road, Totton - 16 months in prison

  • Gareth Hills, 39, of Holmesland Walk, Botley - 16 months in prison

  • Mitchell Whitfield, 24, of Oldbarn Close, Calmore - 12 months suspended for two years and has been ordered to carry out 280 hours unpaid work

  • Callum McDevitt, 21, of Alfred Close, Totton - 10 months suspended for two years and 280 hours unpaid work

  • Connor Veal, 22, of Richmond Close, Calmore - 10 months suspended for two years and 240 hours unpaid work

  • Jordan Southwell, 22, of California Close, Totton - eight months suspended for two years and 200 hours unpaid work

  • Nori Safi, 23, of Wilton Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire - six months suspended for two years and 180 hours unpaid work

  • Fraser McGuigan, 24, of Roundcopse, Dibden - 12 month community order and 180 hours unpaid work

  • Daniel Palmer-Nicholls, 21, of Beech Road, Southampton - 12 month community order and 150 hours unpaid work