Kevin Coatsworth convicted for £500,000 illegal stamp resale that cost Royal Mail over £1 million

Kevin Coatsworth, a 50‑year‑old from Darlington, operated a large‑scale scheme washing the franking off used Royal Mail stamps and selling them on eBay. Between 2011 and 2019 he sold more than a million stamps, earning £536,024 and causing the postal service to lose over £1 million in revenue.

Police uncovered the operation in July 2019 after visiting Coatsworth’s former home in Stockton, finding chemicals and tens of thousands of stamps in various stages of processing. Further quantities were found at his Darlington residence. He pleaded guilty to possessing articles for use in fraud and to supplying articles for use in fraud. The court noted the operation was “lucrative,” and sentencing remarks highlighted his alcoholism and health issues.

The case underscores the financial impact of stamp‑fraud schemes on the Royal Mail and highlights the role of online marketplaces in facilitating large‑scale illegal resale.