A MAN who cheated the Royal Mail out of tens of thousands of pounds has been ordered to hand back what he took.

Delowar Hussain, who was spared jail for his packaging scam, has also been landed with a bill for more than £8,000 in costs.

The 26-year-old fleeced the postal service out of almost £30,000 by sending out parcels as though they were large letters.

Now a judge has ruled he must repay what he took, which will then be given in compensation to the Royal Mail.

Hussain was appearing before Swindon Crown Court for a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Judge Tim Mousley QC ruled he had benefitted from crime to the tune of £29,044.62p and had realisable assets of £119,260.

He gave him 28 days to pay up the lower figure and said he would receive a 12 month jail term should he fail, and he will still owe the money.

Hussain, of Woodside Avenue, Old Walcot, pleaded guilty to making false representations to pay for postal services.

Between mid May and early July last year he used a handheld postage stamper for packages sent out by his internet business Budgettec.

The device allowed him to print out his own stamps for the parcels he sent out to customers.

But as he struggled to make a profit he started to use the equipment to mark more expensive parcels as large letters, which are cheaper to send.

When he appeared before a judge in December last year he was put on a 12 month jail term suspended for two years with 120 hours of unpaid work.

Natalie McNamee, prosecuting, said that the prosecution and investigation had been brought by the Royal Mail and also asked for Hussain to foot the £8,756 bill. “I make an application for costs in the sum of £8,756. An offer was made by those instructing my learned friend to pay £2,000,” she said.

Tony Bignall, defending, said his client would need to borrow against his home to pay both amounts and that the £2,000.

The judge asked him how the lower figure, which had been offered to pay as costs, had been calculated.

Mr Bignall said: “That "was an assessment from Mr Hussain about what he could raise in the foreseeable future.

“It was thought that that could be more attractive than waiting for the house to be sold.”

He said that there was currently a restraining order on the four-bed semi which would hinder a quick sale.

After the judge said that he would send the schedule of costs off to be assessed the defendant changed his mind and said he would pay the full amount.