Mailman Blames Thievery on Rollercoaster, Dodges Jail

(Newser) – A British postman escaped a jail sentence by blaming his repeated mail theft on a rollercoaster. An August ride on Disney’s Thunder Mountain prompted flashbacks of a childhood schoolbus accident that killed eight and hospitalized the future mail carrier, his lawyer told the court. The flashbacks led to post-traumatic stress disorder, which the judge said was a legitimate explanation “for this completely irrational” behavior.

George Ramplin, 43, “was having flashbacks to the scene of the accident, dead children's bodies, and he lost two and a half stone in weight and his confidence disappeared,” his lawyer said. “He was experiencing sleepless nights and was snapping at everyone.” Ramplin, who has been fired from his job, confessed to stealing 15 packages in the weeks before last Christmas. His explanation: “Temptation, I suppose, just stupid," the Telegraph reports. The judge called the matter “a tragedy for you and your family.” He was ordered to pay $560 and sentenced to a six-month curfew between 7pm and 7am.