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Post Office Inquiry
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Post Office Conviction an 'Affront to Justice' says Judge
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DPS Computing
Post Office Conviction against subpostmaster Lisa Brennan was described by a judge on appeal as an 'Affront to Justice' after she had the 27 counts of theft totalling approximately £3,500 quashed.
Post Office Investigator Stephen Bradshaw gives evidence to the Post Office Inquiry about the case and describes his involvement.
Horizon evidence was described as essential in getting an conviction and it is highlighted that there was no corroborating evidence nor any evidence of appropriation by the accused subpostmaster.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #PostOfficeInvestigation #StephenBradshaw #LisaBrennan
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Post Office Investigators AGGRESSIVE Interview Style
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Stephen Bradshaw testifies to the Post Office Inquiry and is shown evidence of an arguably aggressive interview style undertaken by himself and another Post Office Investigator who appear to be badgering the beleaguered subpostmaster during her interview under caution in relation to money alleged stolen from her Post Office relating to overstated pension vouchers found during an audit by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Lisa Brennan denies the allegations but Stephen Bradshaw tells her they know she's done it, they just want to know why...
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #PostOfficeInvestigation #StephenBradshaw #LisaBrennan
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Fujitsu Horizon Shortfalls Were Happening in 1999!!!
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DPS Computing
We've seen through the drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, countless #subpostmasters reports, evidence to the Post Office Inquiry and the testimony of a subpostmaster on this channel that the 'doubling' of #Horizon shortfalls was a major issue encountered by subpostmasters for decades.
What we didn't know is #Fujitsu Horizon shortfalls were happening AND reported as early as June 1999! This was essentially from the start of Horizon being rolled out to post offices.
Yet, evidence such as this was used to convict subpostmasters of theft and false accounting UNTIL 2017!
We provide an overview of the evidence, the process that should have been followed and a plain English explanation of what the evidence shows.
#PostOfficeScandal #HorizonShortfalls #mrbatesvsthepostoffice
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Fujitsu Manager Brands Innocent Subpostmaster 'Nasty Chap'
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DPS Computing
Peter Sewell a former Project Manager in a Post Office Department at #Fujitsu branded innocent subpostmaster Lee Castleton a 'nasty chap' in an email egging on a colleague about to give evidence in his 2006 court case - POL v Castleton.
Peter Sewell spoke to the inquiry today and we listen to his response along with the accompanying articles including #subpostmaster Lee Castleton's response and some analysis of the evidence given to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry today.
Clearly something was very wrong at Fujitsu...
#PostOfficeScandal #HorizonScandal #PostOfficeInquiry
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Fujitsu SUSPENDS Bidding for UK Government Contracts
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DPS Computing
BREAKING NEWS: #Fujitsu SUSPENDS Bidding for UK Government Contracts.
In an unprecedented move, tech giant Fujitsu, at the heart of the #Horizon scandal has said that it is voluntarily committing to not bidding for new UK Government contracts until the conclusion of the ongoing statutory inquiry - Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
This progress is attributed to growing public anger of public contracts awarded to Fujitsu in the UK as their role in the #PostOfficeScandal continues to be revealed.
It's more important than ever that you keep signing, sharing and subscribing to ensure that we Hold Fujitsu to account for Post Office scandal.
Thanks again for your support.
#FujitsuHorizon #ukgov #HorizonScandal
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Fujitsu: 'We have let society down' #PostOfficeScandal
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu Europe Chief Executive Paul Patterson has today appeared before the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry following his earlier appearance at the Department for Business and Trade Select Committee of the UK Parliament this week.
And he goes on to make even more stunning revelations as to the role #Fujitsu played in the #PostOfficeScandal
The admission that 'We have let society down' is a statement that would have been unthinkable that they would say only a week ago but thanks to #PeoplePower and your continued support for the #FujitsuPetition at #38Degrees we are managing, together, to bring the #subpostmasters one further step towards justice.
Please keep signing, sharing and subscribing for further updates!
#PostOfficeScandal #HorizonScandal #FujitsuHorizonScandal #PostOfficeInquiry
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Fujitsu: We will meet #subpostmasters. #PostOfficeInquiry
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu Europe CEO Paul Patterson admits not meeting a single subpostmaster previously but commits to meeting them, if this is what they want, to discuss what justice looks like for them as a result of #Fujitsu involvement with #Horizon and the #PostOfficeScandal
He should make himself available to the group as soon as they want to so that they can get the justice and compensation that they have waited so long for.
Thanks for your continued support. Please keep signing, sharing and subscribing to Hold Fujitsu to account for Post Office scandal.
#PostOfficeScandal #HorizonScandal #PostOfficeInquiry
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Fujitsu: Post Office Prosecution Witness Templates #PostOfficeInquiry
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DPS Computing
Standard witness templates were produced in 2005 by #Fujitsu as part of giving evidence in private Post Office prosecutions and Peter Sewell, project manager at Fujitsu discusses the template produced by a member of his team.
We analyse his responses to questioning as well as the content of the standard template used by Fujitsu witnesses in the prosecution of #subpostmasters as Peter Sewell gives his evidence to the Post Office Inquiry.
Keep signing, sharing and subscribing to Hold Fujitsu to account for Post Office scandal.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PeterSewell
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Fujitsu: No Issue with Horizon Data #PostOfficeInquiry
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DPS Computing
A standard witness statement template produced by #Fujitsu for use in #PostOffice private prosecution statements is presented to Peter Sewell, former Fujitsu manager in the Post Office Accounts Security team.
The standard witness template includes a statement about there being no issue with Horizon Data. Specifically 'None of these calls [to Horizon Help] relate to faults which would have had any effect on the integrity of the information held on the system'. Peter Sewell answers questions on amendments that he requested to this.
We discuss the standard witness statement and provide analysis of the evidence, including the changes requested by Peter Sewell
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #HorizonScandal #PeterSewell
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Fujitsu: Appraisal Targets for Post Office Witness Statements
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DPS Computing
'We will note this on your appraisal' - a message from a Fujitsu manager to a team member who is about to provide a witness statement for the Post Office private prosecution of a subpostmaster related to #Horizon data and shortfalls.
We analyse Peter Sewell's involvement and his responses to the Post Office Inquiry.
Were Fujitsu setting Appraisal Targets for Post Office Witness Statements? Whether or not an official policy it has certainly been mentioned by a manager in this email exchange and we explore the context and circumstances surrounding it.
Thank you for your continued support. Please keep signing, sharing and subscribing!
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #HorizonScandal #Fujitsu
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Fujitsu: Horizon 'System Failures' are 'Normal System Occurrences'
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DPS Computing
Horizon 'System Failures sounds too drastic', these should be 'normal system occurrences' is a shocking admission in an email chain discussing former subpostmaster Lee Castleton's case as former Fujitsu manager continues to give evidence to the Post Office Inquiry.
We analyse the discussions that were going on between the Fujitsu Post Office Security Team and the Post Office Investigation team led by Graham Ward showing what appears to be a standard procedure for providing increasing numbers of witness statements for use by the Post Office in the prosecution of innocent subpostmasters during the Post Office Scandal.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #Fujitsu #HorizonScandal
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Post Office Chiefs PARTIED as they FOUGHT scandal victims
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DPS Computing
Post Office Chiefs PARTIED as they FOUGHT victims reports the Sunday Mirror having obtained footage of an all expenses paid bash for Post Chiefs past and present including a private appearance by Pixie Lott whilst subpostmasters languished in prison and whilst some had tragically already lost their lives due to the Post Office Scandal.
Without a care in the world, champagne and a three course gourmet meal was served as subpostmasters lost their houses, health and life savings.
Have they no shame?
#PostOfficeScandal #SundayMirror #PostOfficeParty #PaulaVennells
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Post Office Horizon is STILL BROKEN in 2024!
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DPS Computing
The shocking state of the Horizon IT System means that Post Office Horizon is STILL BROKEN in 2024 according to subpostmistress Marlene Woods who is being forced to sell her business as she is currently in debt trying to make Horizon Shortfall payments to the Post Office as recently as DECEMBER 2023!
In December 2023, Marlene Woods made a payment to the Post Office for a £414 shortfall that the flawed Horizon system said she was short after doing the monthly balance sheet.
Far from being a historical issue, it appears that the current state of the Horizon system is leading to more victims of the Post Office Scandal being created as we speak.
#PostOfficeScandal #Fujitsu #HorizonScandal
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Fujitsu - Edited Witness Statements - #PostOfficeInquiry
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Analysis of the discussion surrounding the editing of witness statements provided by Fujitsu to the Post Office Inquiry.
Peter Sewell is questioned on his involvement with Fujitsu - Edited Witness Statements and we examine the email evidence of members of his team discussing the Gaerwen Road Post Office prosecution case including the discussion of whether the witness statements 'meet requirements'.
The subpostmaster at Gaerwen Road had rebutted claims by the Post Office that they had taken money by claiming that Horizon was broken - which we now know it was - but there appears to be a focus, influenced by the Post Office and Graham Ward's investigation team over witness statements.
#PostOfficeScandal #PostOfficeInquiry #Fujitsu
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Fujitsu: 'Useless' Witness Statements? #PostOfficeInquiry
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DPS Computing
Gareth Jenkins, a Fujitsu employee asked to give a witness statement isn't comfortable with some of the text contained within. So much so, he shares his worries with managers that the statement is now 'useless'.
Useless for what though exactly? Surely the usefulness of witness statements directly correlates to the truth contained within them? The outcome should always be justice - whether or not that results in a prosecution.
We analyse the email evidence as well as Peter Sewell's response to his involvement in the Fujitsu: 'Useless' Witness Statements at the Post Office Inquiry.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #Fujitsu #PeterSewell
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Fujitsu: Bug FIX Will BREAK Horizon (2008) - 'Lock' Issue
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DPS Computing
We analyse the astonishing evidence regarding the now infamous 'lock' issue that came to light during the case against the Craigpark Post Office subpostmaster and how Fujitsu thought that introducing a patch for this would actually break Horizon further in 2008.
We delve into the 'lock' issue and the decisions made within Fujitsu and try to ascertain to what extent the Post Office were aware of the 'lock' / 'Craigpark' issue in 2008.
Peter Sewell, now Security Operations Manager in the Fujitsu Post Office Account team responds to his involvement.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #Fujitsu #LockIssue #PeterSewell
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How the Post Office Decided to PROSECUTE Subpostmasters
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How the Post Office Decided to PROSECUTE Subpostmasters. We look at evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry today that details the process that the Post Office and its investigators, including Robert Daily, followed in deciding whether to bring a case against a subpostmaster or not.
A seemingly robust process, changing through many hands, with an opportunity at each stage for it to be referred for further evidence or have no further action brought.
So how did this process go so badly wrong for so many innocent subpostmasters that were prosecuted?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeProsecutions
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Were Post Office Investigators TRAINED for their Jobs?
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DPS Computing
We dive into Robert Daily's training as a Post Office investigator to see were Post Office Investigators TRAINED for their Jobs? Did they have the requisite skills, knowledge and experience to perform their investigatory roles to ensure that they complied with both legal and Post Office requirements in particular related to disclosures - which has been contested by subpostmasters - not to have happened, or not to have happened properly, in their cases.
We analyse the evidence and responses of Robert Daily as well as the documentary evidence provided in his witness statements.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #HorizonScandal #RobertDaily #PostOffice
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Post Office Investigator TOO BUSY for Post Office Inquiry
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DPS Computing
In what must be the most surreal testimony of recent days at the Post Office Inquiry, former Post Office Investigator Raymond Grant tells the inquiry he's been TOO BUSY for the Post Office Inquiry and the witness statements and has only produced one and appeared under LEGAL threat!
A tale of woe follows that will leave many, not least affected subpostmasters, distinctly unimpressed I think.
We analyse his surreal testimony including bizarre references to walking his dog.
He makes it clear to Jason Beer KC, Lead Counsel to the Inquiry that this is NOT his priority!
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOffice #RaymondGrant #PostOfficeScandal
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Post Office Investigator REFUSES to accept OVERTURNED Conviction!
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DPS Computing
Raymond Grant, former Post Office Investigator tells the inquiry he REFUSES to accept a subpostmasters OVERTURNED Conviction and still regards him as guilty of the embezzlement charge that he brought against him as a principle investigator in the Paible Post Office prosecution case - one of many private prosecutions launched by the Post Office during the Post Office Scandal.
Whilst trying to evade the question, he finally shares his view that the conviction should have not been overturned and he still regards William Quarm as guilty. William Quarm died at the age of 69 in 2012.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PaiblePostOffice
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NO Horizon Training for Post Office Investigators!?
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DPS Computing
NO Horizon Training for Post Office Investigators?! Surely this is a big problem when the majority of cases that you are investigating against subpostmasters at Post Offices relates to Horizon and data produced by the Horizon data.
Is it possible to adequately investigate using data from a system you don't understand?
We analyse Robert Daily, Post Office Investigator's testimony about the policies in place regarding investigation, which seem to be more robust than the training on the Fujitsu Horizon system at the centre of the Post Office Scandal. Will further corrections to witness statements follow?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #Fujitsu #HorizonScandal #RobertDaily
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Post Office Investigator Formal Training? #PostOfficeInquiry
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DPS Computing
We look at analyse the formal training that Post Office Investigators went through during the evidence to the Post Office Inquiry. Little physical evidence seems to have been presented so this is reliant on witness statements and has therefore rightfully become a focus.
It is under no doubt that at least some Post Office Investigators had experience of running investigations but was this underpinned by a robust process, qualifications and training?
Previously we've identified gaps in Horizon training, but will Raymond Grant be able to shed more light on this for us?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #RaymondGrant
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Was Post Office Investigator Training on Horizon Enough?
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Was Post Office Investigator Training on Horizon enough? We've heard about some investigators getting a day or two of training on the usage of the Horizon system in a Post Office but were they trained on how to analyse the audit data coming from the Fujitsu Horizon system that was so pivotal in many of the private prosecutions of subpostmasters brought by the Post Office?
We analyse the training described by Raymond Grant, former Post Office Investigator in his evidence to the Post Office Inquiry and ask - Was Post Office Investigator Training on Horizon Enough for them to competently complete the investigations they were tasked to?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #RaymondGrant
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Prosecutor Seems Unable to Explain 'Obvious' Post Office Evidence
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Former Procurator Fiscal David Teal seems unable to explain 'obvious' Post Office Evidence to the Post Office Inquiry.
David Teal points out that decisions that are obvious may or may not have been recorded but seems to get tangled up with what the two pieces of evidence relied upon actually meet the crucial legal test of the law of corroboration whilst admitting that a piece of evidence might not actually show a crime had taken place, despite initially saying that it showed embezzlement by the accused subpostmaster.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #DavidTeale
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Subpostmasters Confession DELETED from Witness Statement!
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DPS Computing
The Post Office Inquiry has heard today that David Teale, lawyer to former subpostmaster William Quarm would like to make corrections to his submitted statements. These corrections include the subpostmasters confession DELETED from the Witness Statement!
William Quarm was convicted previously and has since had his conviction, launched by the Post Office quashed on appeal by four appeal judges.
We analyse the evidence and statement given by David Teale to the inquiry today and a response to the changes.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #WilliamQuarm #PostOffice
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Prosecutor UNAWARE of Prosecution Code at Post Office Inquiry
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DPS Computing
Prosecutor David Teale seems to be unaware of Scotland's Prosecution Code during his time as Procurator Fiscal, leading Scotland's prosecutions in subpostmasters cases when questioned on it at the Post Office Inquiry despite it being published SEVEN years before the case in question.
Despite this, he says that he would of course have this to hand and consider things such as public interest as well as the reliability, credibility and accuracy of evidence presented as part of a Post Office private prosecution case.
We analyse David Teale's evidence to the inquiry.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #DavidTeale
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Post Office Investigator DENIES Subpostmasters Horizon Case
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Suzanne Winter, former Post Office Investigator DENIES Subpostmasters Horizon Case by saying that she doesn't want to retract her recollection in light of his witness statement and previous interviews pointing the finger at Horizon failings as she herself did not consider it to be a Horizon case.
Despite meticulously going through the subpostmasters statement to the Post Office Inquiry, Suzanne Winter is adamant that she doesn't wish to change her prior statement when considering the new evidence.
We analyse both the subpostmasters statement and her response to it.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #SuzanneWinter
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Full Disclosure by Post Office Investigator?
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DPS Computing
Suzanne Winter, former Post Office Investigator is asked about whether full disclosure took place in the case of a subpostmaster accused of stealing money from his Post Office branch.
Indeed, the legal team for the subpostmaster made a request for disclosure, having declared his defence, presumably to ensure that this could be addressed and possibly suspecting that this had not already taken place.
We analyse the evidence and the testimony from Suzanne Winter about what enquiries were made and to whom, as well as the assurances that she says she received from Fujitsu regarding the reliability of the Horizon IT system in use at the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #SuzanneWinter
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Forensic Accountants Report on Post Office Horizon Prosecution Data
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DPS Computing
What did a Forensic Accountants Report on Post Office Horizon Prosecution Data reveal when commissioned by the lawyers acting for a subpostmaster accused of stealing around £11,000 from his Post Office reveal?
The report commissioned, at the end of 2004, looks into the Post Office Horizon data provided by the prosecution to analyse it and see if they can establish firstly, what the data shows and secondly whether a crime has been committed and, finally, if so, whether it points to their client as having committed it.
We analyse the revealing findings from the forensic accountant and what action could have been subsequently taken by Post Office Investigators having received such a report.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice
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Missing Horizon Transaction Data - Post Office Prosecution
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DPS Computing
Data related to the Horizon IT system used at a Post Office is not available for a prosecution case brought by the Post Office - even in 2004 when forensic accountants are instructed by the accused to assess the evidence.
But why would such data not exist and/or not be requested by Post Office Investigators leading the case? Despite requests for disclosure from the subpostmasters lawyers there appears to be either an unwillingness or inability to provide evidence that would surely be a cruicial part of the case against him?
We analyse what the forensic accountants could find when looking at the available, if not limited, transaction data from Horizon.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice
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Damning conclusions on Post Office Case by Forensic Accountants
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DPS Computing
Damning conclusions delivered on the Post Office case by Forensic Accountants retained by an accused subpostmaster in 2004 detail missing transaction data as a substantial impediment to identifying a perpetrator, a victim or even that a crime has taken place.
The shocking conclusions could still be made from the evidence available and, whilst they do caveat that without the data it is impossible to come to a definitive conclusion, it is clear the direction of travel points towards no case to answer.
So why did this Post Office prosecution case go to trial in the first place?
'#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice
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Post Office Investigator: Forensic Report had NO Impact on us!
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Post Office Investigator Suzanne Winter states that the forensic accounting report commissioned by an subpostmaster accused of stealing had NO impact on us - either as an investigation team or at a wider Post Office level.
Given that the report highlights serious issues regarding the evidence that their client was the perpetrator or indeed that a crime had even been committed as well as flagging data retention concerns, due to the amount of missing data, and concerns about the stability of the Horizon system the testimony we analyse here suggests that whilst it was shared within the Post Office there was no further action or impact on the way to Post Office was operating investigations or more widely as an organisation.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice
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Post Office Said NO Remote Horizon Access after Audit
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The discussion of an audit in the case of a subpostmistress whom was alleged to have stolen more than £4,000 revealed issues that she regularly had with balancing the accounts on a Wednesday since the Horizon system had been installed in her Post Office approximately two years before.
Post Office Investigator Suzanne Winter said she wondered about remote access to Horizon after her own Post Office computer was accessed to fix an issue. Post Office Said NO Remote Horizon Access after Audit and she explains that when you're told that, effectively by the government, you accept it.
We analyse both the audit and her investigation.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice
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Subpostmasters PLEAS for Help to Horizon Helpline
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Subpostmasters PLEAS for Help to Horizon Helpline are ignored when building a case against Maureen McKelvey at the Clanabogan Post Office in Northern Ireland as the Post Office Investigation team appears to want to focus solely on pension and benefits foils that they say do not correspond with the data entered into the Horizon system.
We analyse the extensive list of calls placed by Maureen McKelvey to the Horizon Helpline including several issues with balancing, contacting to pay the Post Office for shortfalls on a regular basis as well as encountering other system issues.
The PLEAS for help seem to go unheard as the Post Office Investigators proceed to prosecution.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice
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Post Office Witness 'Going Round in Circles' at Post Office Inquiry
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Post Office Investigator Witness Suzanne Winters testimony is brought to a close by Post Office Inquiry chair Sir Wyn asserting that we are 'Going Round in Circles' at the Post Office Inquiry.
Presented with the letters from the Police Service of Northern Ireland and evidence from Maureen McKelvey's lawyers in addition to her numerous calls to the Horizon Helpline Suzanne Winters still asserts that this is not a Horizon case.
Furthermore, the report passed onto the Police 2 years after the investigation commenced appears to be missing key parts of the evidence previously obtained since 2002 with assertions of guilt seemingly relying on the opinion of Post Office Investigators.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice
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Prosecutor UNAWARE of ADMISSABILITY of Horizon Evidence
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Prosecutor UNAWARE of ADMISSABILITY of Horizon Evidence in a case brought against subpostmaster William Quarm despite legislation covering computer generated evidence being in place in Scotland since the 1960's.
Following on from the lack of awareness of a prosecution code, David Teale appears to have another gap in legal knowledge that could have potentially prevented the case of this subpostmaster going to court.
We analyse the legislation that was in place at the time relating to the admissability of Horizon like evidence in proceedings in Scotland that was used in the this Post Office prosecution as well as David Teale's testimony to the Post Office Inquiry.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #FujitsuHorizon #FujitsuHorizonScandal
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Prosecutor: We had to TRUST the Post Office
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Prosecutor David Teale tells the Post Office Inquiry 'We had to TRUST the Post Office' when submitting reports for proposed subpostmaster prosecutions to the Procurator Fiscal's office that they would accurately and comprehensively summarise the evidence in the report they submitted to support the prosecution.
He reveals how the Procurator Fiscal's office worked at the time including that a decision to prosecute would be taken based on the Post Office Investigators report alone without a review of the evidence available.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #DavidTeale
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Post Office Manager unsure of her OWN Professional Background!
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Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam appears to be confused not only by her OWN Professional Background but even what the question 'Describe your own professional background' means. Despite this, when challenged by Jason Beer KC, asking questions on behalf of the Post Office Inquiry, she says she has it already prepared right in front of her.
It is possible that this is an attempt to explain the clearly inadequate witness statement provided by Elaine Cottam to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry but either way, things aren't off to a great start.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ElaineCottam #PostOfficeManager
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Post Office Relationship based upon 'Trust and Assumptions'
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Post Office Relationship was based upon 'Trust and Assumptions' David Teale, former Procurator Fiscal, tells the Post Office Inquiry.
He confirms that there were 'no safeguards' in place to ensure that the Post Office was aware of their responsibilities with regards to prosecuting subpostmasters and that there were no written guidance or protocols.
Both the Procurator Fiscal and the Post Office had to trust that each other knew what their responsibilities were and that they were completing them accordingly.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ProcuratorFiscal #DavidTeale
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Post Office Manager asked whether she would LIE to the court
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Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam is asked whether she would LIE to the court by Jason Beer KC at the Post Office Inquiry when it becomes clear there is a massive discrepancy in the number of Post Offices she has testified to managing at the Post Office Inquiry compared to a witness statement prepared in 2003 for a prosecution of a subpostmaster.
The error, not insignificant, is almost 100 Post Offices higher than she has initially claimed and seems unable, or reluctant, to initially answer whether she would have told the truth at the time in the sworn witness statement provided at the trial.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOffice #PostOfficeScandal #ElaineCottam #PostOfficeManager
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Post Office Writes GLOWING Reference MONTHS Before Dismissal
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Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam writes what appears to be a GLOWING Reference MONTHS Before Dismissal of a subpostmistress, Julie Wolstenholme endorsing her to take over the Post Office.
Commenting on her honesty, ability and history with the Post Office, Elaine Cottam wholeheartedly endorses her to take over her sick father's Post Office, that she has worked in consistently for a long time.
But things turn sour within months as Elaine Cottam is then charged with writing a lengthy witness statement about apparent theft from the very Post Office she thought she was the ideal candidate for only months before over concerns relating to her and her husband.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOffice #PostOfficeScandal #ElaineCottam #PostOfficeManager
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Post Office INVESTIGATOR who used to be a SUBPOSTMASTER!
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Today at the Post Office Inquiry we hear from Frederick Leslie Thorpe who is a former Post Office INVESTIGATOR who used to be a SUBPOSTMASTER.
His opening testimony to the Post Office Inquiry is very interesting, not least because his background seems to stand out from other Post Office Investigators that have been witnesses in that he does appear to say that he has suitable investigatory qualifications and experience as well as experience of being a subpostmaster in a Post Office himself.
Surely this could only bode well for the cases that he's involved in? We analyse his background and testimony to the Post Office Inquiry.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #FrederickLeslieThorpe #PostOfficeInvestigator
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Post Office Legal Services Didn't Know the LAW!
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Frederick Thorpe, former Post Office Investigation manager details how he took over the North East of England and when his equivalents in Northern Ireland and Scotland retired he also took on their jobs despite not appreciating the differences in law applying to the jurisdictions he was managing.
Whilst tasked with being a team leader, Frederick Thorpe details how he was too busy working, as they were a small team, to effectively manage them.
But the most damning revelation is when he says that Post Office Legal Services, who he reached out to for help when investigating cases against subpostmasters, Didn't Know the LAW of the jurisdictions the Post Office were operating in and 'couldn't help'!
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #FrederickThorpe #PostOfficeInvestigation
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Post Office Investigator Training 'Made Up As We Went Along'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Training 'Made Up As We Went Along' according to witness Frederick Thorpe, former Post Office Investigator.
In line with previous testimony, Horizon training is limited to its use and a single day without any training on analysis of the data. Investigator training is led by other investigators but not formalised as to structure, content or assessment and doesn't include the law of the jurisdictions that they are managing cases in nor access to a legal time that has awareness of said law either.
Unsurprisingly, the first case submitted is sent back as 'rubbish' by the Police Service of Northern Ireland...
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #FrederickThorpe #PostOfficeInvestigation
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Post Office Investigations ran with ZERO Guidelines!
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DPS Computing
Frederick Thorpe, former Post Office Investigator says Post Office Investigations ran with ZERO Guidelines prompting an investigator to develop a process which was then clarified to be copied from England after the Police in Northern Ireland rejected a 'rubbish' case file submitted for a Post Office Prosecution of a subpostmaster accused of stealing for their branch.
It is clear from statements that the ability of anyone to manage such a large geographic area, let alone the number of cases that would entail, was seemingly not possible.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #FrederickThorpe #PostOfficeInvestigations
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Post Office Special Audit - 'We'd Already Made Up Our Mind'
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Post Office Special Audits appear to be characterised as fact finding to support a conclusion rather than an impartial investigation as 'we'd already made up our mind' to bring a criminal prosecution when the special audits were organised based on 'discrepencies' highlighted by a central office.
The Post Office Inquiry hears from Frederick Thorpe who outlines what a special audit is and how they were run by the Post Office when prosecuting subpostmasters for alleged misconduct at their branches.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #FrederickThorpe #PostOfficeInvestigation #PostOfficeAudit
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Post Office Prosecutor APOLOGISES to Subpostmaster!
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Post Office Prosecutor Kevin Sheils, involved in the prosecution of Maureen McKelvey APOLOGISES to Subpostmaster for his involvement in her conviction in 2004.
Kevin Shiels witness statement stands out for the crowd in that he offers an apology to the Subpostmaster for his involvement in a Post Office prosecution against her due to allegations made by the Post Office of the conduct at her branch.
Kevin Sheils is well qualified and his opening statements are delivered with openness and transparency as to his background and professional history.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #KevinSheils #PostOfficeProsecutor
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Post Office Prosecutor - Police Claims 'No Great Weight'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Prosecutor Kevin Shiels says 'No Great Weight' was applied to Police claims of sufficient evidence in the case of Maureen McKelvey.
Kevin Sheils outlines a robust process that he followed in all cases he handled - including the one Post Office case that he came across. He tells the Post Office Inquiry that he had no prior, nor future, involvement in any Post Office prosecutions apart from that of Maureen McKelvey.
Suzanne Winters investigation reports form a substantial part of both the Post Office and Police cases against Maureen McKelvey accusing her of theft of pension money from her Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #KevinSheils #PostOfficeProsecution
49
Post Office Prosecutor RELIED UPON Post Office Investigation
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DPS Computing
Post Office Prosecutor Kevin Sheils tells the Post Office Inquiry how he RELIED UPON Post Office Investigation conclusions by Suzanne Winter that the accused subpostmaster was guilty of theft from her Post Office.
He answers questions relating to his initial handling of the case as well as detailing the process that he followed to establish if there was a case to answer as well as discussing Suzanne Winter's investigation report on behalf of the Post Office and how this fit into his decision making process.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #KevinSheils #PostOfficeProsecution
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Post Office Prosecutor DOES NOT Consider Horizon Errors
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DPS Computing
Post Office Prosecutor Kevin Sheils tells the Post Office Inquiry that he DOES NOT Consider Horizon Errors when deciding whether or not to launch a prosecution following a Post Office Investigation by Suzanne Winter against Maureen McKelvey despite admitting that it is a potential conclusion along with human error.
The Post Office Investigation report doesn't mention the potential for Horizon errors raised by Maureen McKelvey during her interview whilst under investigation and states definitively that the conclusion, based upon evidence, that is reached is that she deliberately stole money from her Post Office by claiming for non-existent pension foils - even when alternative explanations are available.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #KevinShiels #PostOfficeProsecution
51
Post Office Manager NEVER found ANYTHING suggesting innocence!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Graham Ward delivers the revelation to the Post Office Inquiry that he NEVER found ANYTHING suggesting the innocence of subpostmasters accused of wrongdoing at their Post Office branches.
This is despite his involvement in high profile criminal prosecutions of subpostmasters in addition to civil cases - most notably those of Noel Thomas and Lee Castleton.
Whilst seeming to understand that his role requires both 'thorough investigation' and to explore 'all reasonable avenues' of enquiry he struggles when asked by Jason Beer KC as to what his understanding of both these terms are.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
52
Senior Post Office Manager WARNED not to Self Incriminate!
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DPS Computing
Senior Post Office Manager Graham Ward is WARNED not to Self Incriminate by Sir Wyn, chair of the Post Office Inquiry, prior to giving his testimony and evidence today.
In an usual move compared to recent witnesses, despite all having such a right, Graham Ward is specifically warned about this right and the process to follow if he wishes to exercise his right against self incrimination.
Could this be indicative of the Post Office Inquiry believing he may have some very interesting things to say considering he has held senior roles within the Post Office and has direct involvement in a number of subpostmasters cases?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
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NO Post Office Investigation Changes Following Horizon!
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DPS Computing
NO Post Office Investigation Changes Following Horizon despite the fact that it was the largest non-military project embarked upon in Europe at the time and the fact that it fundamentally changed how Post Offices up and down the country worked.
Formal training didn't happen - on the system or seemingly any other topic and only informal work shadowing of someone using the Horizon system for half a day or so seemed to be the sum total of all training.
There was no training on how Horizon produced data or even how to analyse the data it did produce. Questions about the accuracy of Horizon were not raised as part of investigations from memory.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
54
Post Office Manager - Our Job Was To Make Documents Pretty!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager describes Casework Management at Post Office Security as essentially a function to make subpostmasters prosecution documents look PRETTY!
Along with 'managing' two spreadsheets by entering data collected by others and literally handing off files from one organisation to an other the main duty of the role appears to have been formatting of documents and ensuring that page numbers were appropriately applied.
Graham Ward tells the Post Office Inquiry that there was no checking of the substance or conduct of the investigation as that was the responsibility of their line manager.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
55
Post Office Manager - We had to JUSTIFY our EXISTENCE!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Graham Wards tells the Post Office Inquiry that the purpose of his 'performance' reports to senior Post Office management was due to the fact 'we had to JUSTIFY our EXISTENCE' when referring to the Post Office Security Team.
He details how he managed staff when promoted to Casework Management including the stationary administrator and details a lot of people 'managing' things whilst being non-specific as to what that actually entailed day to day.
He discusses performance related pay and bonuses awarded to the entire Post Office Security team based upon 'losses and recoveries' whilst performing their roles.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
56
Post Office Manager Had 'Too Many Cases' To Handle
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Graham Ward tells the Post Office Inquiry that the Financial Investigation Unit, charged with pursuing subpostmasters that had been convicted following their prosecutions, had 'Too Many Cases' To Handle as it used the Proceeds of Crime Act to get orders taking money and assets of subpostmasters to cover alleged shortfalls identified using Horizon following Post Office Investigations.
The 'floor amount' of £10,000 had to be increased to £20,000 when it became clear there were too many cases to pursue with amounts below this being considered too low a priority to pursue.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
57
Post Office Manager - 'We Weren't Popular' with Subpostmasters
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Graham Ward tells the Post Office Inquiry that 'we weren't popular' with other parts of the Post Office business including subpostmasters despite his feeling that they previously had a good relationship.
He identifies cultural change in 2008/9 when a new security manager joined the team and set out his vision. Despite him saying that the culture changed for the worse and people weren't happy he says that it didn't personally affect him but said he was 'glad to leave' the team when an opportunity for secondment came up in 2012.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
58
Post Office Policy to prosecute subpostmasters within a MONTH!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Policy on timescales for subpostmaster investigations show that they wanted to investigators to close or prosecute accused subpostmasters within a MONTH!
Questions about the thoroughness of the investigations against subpostmasters at the Post Office and whether all reasonable lines of inquiry were followed have been raised on numerous occasions and the timescales outlined in the Post Office Security team policy seem to place pressure on investigators to conclude cases within a set period of time rather than after an investigation would naturally complete.
Therefore there is additional worry that cases against subpostmasters, some of which are complex, couldn't necessarily be thoroughly investigated whilst sticking to this 'must do' police from the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
59
Post Office - 'MAJOR Procedural Weaknesses' and Sloppy Documents
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DPS Computing
The Post Office Inquiry continues to hear from Graham Ward, a former Post Office Security Manager as he reviews management documents that he was sent highlighting 'MAJOR Procedural Weaknesses' and Sloppy Documents without dates on.
It appears from the documents that the Post Office wasn't concerned with addressing such major procedural weaknesses but instead doing their best to AVOID DISCLOSURE of those to subpostmasters legal teams so as not to undermine the prosecution cases the Post Office was bringing at the time.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
60
Post Office Manager 'not aware' of EVIDENCE requirements
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Graham Ward tells the Post Office Inquiry that he was 'not aware' of computer-based EVIDENCE requirements, despite being charged with obtaining said evidence from Fujitsu based on the Horizon data for use within Post Office prosecution cases against subpostmasters.
Despite receiving no training from Fujitsu in interpreting the reports and data - including ARQ or Audit Record Query data - he says that understand the Excel spreadsheets that they sent across was 'common sense'.
So why did it seem to go some badly wrong in many cases?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
61
Post Office Manager admits 'evidence not always gathered'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Security Manager Graham Ward admits to the Post Office Inquiry that 'evidence not always gathered' to support the Post Office prosecution of subpostmasters, including essential ARQ (Audit Record Query) data that could identify who is alleged to have committed the crime.
Earlier assertions that it would always be gathered in an Audit shortfall case seem to fall apart under continued questioning from Jason Beer KC at the Post Office Inquiry.
Graham Ward's testimony that Horizon balances could establish a shortfall and that ARQ data from Fujitsu could establish who has caused it seems to leave any Audit case without the requisite ARQ data dead in the water...
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
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62
Post Office Security Manager - 'What Disclosure Officer!?'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Security Manager Graham Ward seems to accept that he had responsibilities on him similar to that of a disclosure officer but wasn't actually the disclosure officer. When asked to identify who was the disclosure officer in the cases he handled he admits that it may have been him but 'he never saw himself in that role'. So, What Disclosure Officer!?
He tells the Post Office Inquiry that he was aware of the duties of disclosure to accused subpostmasters as he has repeated to the inquiry before - but were such disclosure processes always followed by the Post Office?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard
63
Post Office confusion over CRITICAL Fujitsu Message Store data
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DPS Computing
Post Office confusion over CRITICAL Fujitsu Message Store data could have prevented many prosecution cases and needless heartache to innocent subpostmasters if only Post Office managers had understood what it was or it had been explained to them properly by the company that created and generated it.
Despite being part of an internal Fujitsu documented process as part of an ARQ (Audit Record Query) request that the Post Office regularly made, it's not clear that this was included in any Post Office processes despite it being mentioned in cases by witnesses.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard #Fujitsu
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Post Office - Fujitsu testimony reveals MISSING prosecution evidence
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DPS Computing
Lee Castleton's case was depicted by Will Mellor in the ITV Drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office and Graham Ward now discusses his involvement in the case that saw the Post Office being awarded over £325,000.
The TERRIFYING testimony offered in the Horizon prosecution case of a subpostmaster includes an 'other events log' which has 'other data' in that no one put forward by Fujitsu as a witness for the case appears to remember the name of and the absence of Message Store data that was crucial to Lee Castleton's case and could have meant that not only did he not need to go through this, but all subpostmasters prosecuted after 2006 where there is now written proof that both Fujitsu and Post Office are now aware of.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
65
Post Office Manager - 'I Should Have Escalated Data Concerns'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Graham Ward tells the Post Office Inquiry that he would have escalated data concerns surrounding the Message Store data discussed in email between Fujitsu and the Post Office during Lee Castleton's trial (Marine Drive) had he been aware of them.
As it transpires that he was aware of them, he goes on to admit that he should have escalated this concerns as they were 'very significant'.
This seems like the best opportunity for the Post Office to discover what was going on and fix it at a relatively early stage of the Post Office Scandal in 2006 yet this opportunity appears to have been completely missed by the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard #Fujitsu #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
66
Post Office PRIORITISED Prosecutions Over Helping Subpostmasters!
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DPS Computing
Post Office PRIORITISTED Prosecutions over Helping Subpostmasters, Graham Ward tells the Post Office Inquiry.
Whilst discussing contractual limits between Fujitsu and the Post Office relating to ARQ (Audit Record Query) data that was vital in prosecutions of subposmasters he admits that it was on his mind and indeed complained about having to discuss restricting data requests from investigators with them to see if a 'shorter timeframe' was more appropriate.
This could have led to vital data being missing from prosecution case files submitted by the Post Office.
The most damning revelation however is that the the Post Office PRIORITISTED ARQ requests for prosecuting subpostmasters over requests from other areas of the business trying to help them.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #GrahamWard #Fujitsu #ARQData
67
Post Office Manager FORGETS Her Own Court Case!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam FORGETS Her Own Court Case against subpostmaster Julie Wolstenholme when confronted with the signed sworn witness statement she provided to the court. Despite this, she tells the Post Office Inquiry that she didn't realise there was a civil court nor that there was a court case against the subpostmaster at the Cleveleys Post Office branch.
The revelations don't stop there and include testimony that she wouldn't have requested Horizon Helpdesk call logs as she 'wouldn't understand' them as they are 'too technical' despite attaching them as an appendix, named with her own initials, to her sworn statement to the civil court.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ElaineCottam
68
Post Office Manager admits she doesn't understand HER OWN Evidence!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam tells the Post Office Inquiry that she doesn't understand HER OWN Evidence!
Three explanations are given for this including that she didn't write it, doesn't remember writing it and would have only done what the Horizon Helpdesk helped her to do as the situation regarding the testimony she gave for Julie Wolstenholme's civil case brought by the Post Office seems to be in disarray.
Despite saying that she doesn't understand the Horizon Call Logs that she analysed, referenced in her own witness statement and presented as evidence to the court attached to her statement she does steer towards implying that others related to Mrs Wolstenholme were responsible for the losses at Cleveleys Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ElaineCottam
69
Horizon Didn't Prosecute Us, The Post Office Did
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DPS Computing
'Horizon Didn't Prosecute Us, The Post Office Did'. We hear chilling conclusions from the solicitors representing a number of the convicted subpostmaters, including Jo Hamilton, as Phase 4 of the Post Office Inquiry is brought to a close.
In this section he details how subpostmasters 'lives were utterly destroyed' by the actions of the Post Office and Fujitsu and in particular reference to Paul Patterson's testimony to the Post Office Inquiry that they'd know about 'bugs, errors and defects' in Horizon all along.
We analyse the sad conclusions that help us remember that the people who have been and continue to be at the heart of the Post Office Scandal - the subpostmasters themselves and their families.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Hudgells
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70
Fujitsu and Post Office KNEW Of Missing Critical Data
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu and Post Office KNEW Of Missing Critical Data and the lack of integrity in the data that was provided in the Post Office prosecutions of subpostmasters as the lawyers Hudgells, representing many convicted subpostmasters summarise in their Phase 4 Closing Statement to the Post Office Inquiry.
A lack of motivation towards the truth and instead protection of the brand of both Fujitsu and the Post Office are cited as reasons with the main focus her being on the lack of understand from investigators of key audit data or indeed even what data was available to them.
Subpostmasters had no real prospect of adequately mounting a defence to allegations due to the lack of disclosure of data relevant to their cases.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Hudgells #subpostmasters
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71
Post Office found Subpostmasters GUILTY until proven INNOCENT
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DPS Computing
Post Office found Subpostmasters GUILTY until proven INNOCENT in what Hudgells, solicitors for a number of convicted subpostmasters, conclude in their Closing Statement to the Post Office Inquiry where the Post Office 'reversed the burden of proof' and simultaneously denied subpostmasters access the the very audit data, itself lacking in integrity, that they required to be able to defend themselves against the allegations put to them during Post Office prosecutions.
The reputation of both Fujitsu and Post Office appears to have been put across what should have been the real priority during Post Office investigations - justice.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Hudgells
72
The Post Office and Fujitsu 'REFUSED to Listen'
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DPS Computing
The Post Office and Fujitsu 'REFUSED to Listen' to the pleas of desperate subpostmasters trying to make sense of what was happening to them as we analyse the Phase 4 Closing Statement of Hudgells, solicitors to some of the convicted subpostmasters, at the heart of the Post Office Scandal.
Unbelievable tales of how Post Office lawyers, not satisfied with guilty pleas to false accounting - of which they were not guilty - left them demanding theft charges on flimsy, or sometimes non-existent, evidence in a effort to make 'recoveries' easier and increase the chance that subpostmasters were sent to prison for the crimes they hadn't committed.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Hudgells
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Post Office and Fujitsu Legal Professionals FAILED in their duties
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DPS Computing
Post Office and Fujitsu Legal Professionals FAILED in their duties the solicitors for a number of convicted subpostmasters concludes during his Phase 4 Closing Statement on their behalf at the Post Office Inquiry.
Despite the shocking nature of training and competence failures within other areas of both businesses identified during his conclusions, by far the most shocking has to be the alleged conduct of legal staff, bound by professional obligations, in their apparent disregard for cherished standards and practices when conducting Post Office prosecutions.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Hudgells
74
Post Office and Fujitsu Management FAILINGS Laid Bare
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DPS Computing
Post Office and Fujitsu Management FAILINGS Laid Bare during the Phase 4 Closing Statement to the Post Office Inquiry by Hudgells, the solicitors representing a number of convicted subpostmasters due to the Post Office prosecutions.
Management failings at both the Post Office and Fujitsu stem beyond a lack of oversight but also wade into encouragement of the approach taken by employees at both organisations in the battle waged against subpostmasters and the dogmatic adherence to 'Horizon is robust'.
We hear how reputation of both Post Office and Fujitsu - and the success of the Horizon project - were put above anything else.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Hudgells
75
Post Office 'trusted for centuries' DESTROYED in years
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DPS Computing
Post Office 'trusted for centuries' was DESTROYED in years concludes Hudgells, solicitors for many convicted subpostmasters, as he concludes the Phase 4 Closing statement at the Post Office Inquiry.
He concludes that it's difficult to see whether this is retrievable for an organisation that 'knew the price of everything and the value of nothing' as they tore apart both subpostmasters lives and the communities which they served.
The powerful conclusions lay bare the full disaster of the Post Office Scandal for those if affected the most and the enduring breakdown of trust between public institutions and the people they serve.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Hudgells
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76
Post Office Inquiry 'a parade of liars, bullies and amnesiacs'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Inquiry has seen a 'parade of liars, bullies and amnesiacs' as Sam Stein KC, representing some of the subpostmasters, delivers his conclusions at Phase 4 of the Post Office Inquiry.
He characterises the Post Office as a 'chorus of cowards' as he systemically points out the wrongdoing and wilful bad behaviour of those involved at the organisation and how the 'cannot even look them in the face' when referring to subpostmasters present at the Post Office Inquiry.
Join us for our analysis of his powerful final conclusions.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #SamStein
77
Fujitsu used SUBPOSTMASTERS logins to 'fix' Horizon
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu used SUBPOSTMASTERS logins to 'fix' the ailing Horizon system in the face of a barrage of bugs that was plaguing the beleaguered system unknown to subpostmasters at the time.
The destruction of the audit trail in Horizon would no doubt have led to the collapse of any prosecutions based upon Horizon data as the integrity of the system had been fatally undermined with the attempts to patch the system and hide errors from subpostmasters who were desperately trying to understand what was happening.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #SamStein #subpostmasters
78
Post Office 'Bully Boys' ENJOYED Bringing Us Down
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DPS Computing
Post Office 'Bully Boys' ENJOYED Brining Us Down subpostmasters tell the Post Office Inquiry through Sam Stein KC who is representing them.
Subpostmasters describe hearing evidence during Phase 4 of the Post Office Inquiry of leaving them 'incandescent with rage' as 'corporate amnesia' seems to have been inflicted on them as the devastating consequences of their actions on innocent subpostmasters is laid bare.
The dehumanising treatment of subpostmasters desperate for anyone to help would leave any decent human being understandably recoiling in horror compounded by the joking from the Post Office Legal Team that Horizon concerns will 'melt away' after they 'make an example of a few of them (subpostmasters)'.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #SamStein #subpostmasters
79
Judge tells Post Office their cases were a 'sham'
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DPS Computing
Judge tells Post Office their cases were a 'sham' in an early acquittal of a subpostmaster accused of stealing money from her branch.
Despite Post Office assurances that all acquittals were reviewed, this certainly didn't seem to happen in earlier cases and this likely led to more subpostmasters being pursued that otherwise may not have been.
Chances were missed to bring the Post Office Scandal to an end and instead subpostmasters are now having to relive it as some of the cases explored here from the case studies identified by the Post Office Inquiry have left innocent victims having to face their tormentors and relive their experience of this miscarriage of justice again.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #SamStein #subpostmasters
80
Post Office EMBEZZLED money from 'illusory' Horizon shortfalls
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DPS Computing
Post Office EMBEZZLED innocent subpostmasters money from 'illusory' Horizon shortfalls states Sam Stein KC representing subpostmasters at the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
His powerful conclusions outline an organisation out of its depth, reaching beyond its responsibility and trailing a path of destruction behind it seemingly unfazed by the scale of human destruction that it was leaving in its wake.
He explains how the poorly understood Post Office contracts were enforced without thought, and usually without sight, of the subpostmasters they affected.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #SamStein #subpostmasters
81
Post Office 'Heard No Evil and Saw No Evil'
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DPS Computing
Post Office 'Heard No Evil and Saw No Evil' yet did evil according to the NFSP closing statement to Phase 4 of the Post Office Inquiry.
The NFSP are an organisation that has been criticised by former subpostmasters during the Post Office Scandal and the NFSP try to distance themselves from prior behaviours and actions by saying that there is a new NFSP of today.
They highlight the disclosure failings during the Post Office prosecution of subpostmasters as well as ongoing issues with disclosure to the Post Office Inquiry and how, coupled with 'coporate amnesia', are contributing to making discovering the whole truth an extremely tough job for the Post Office Inquiry.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #NFSP
82
Post Office had the Wrong People in the Wrong Jobs
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DPS Computing
Post Office had the Wrong People in the Wrong Jobs the NFSP conclude as we anaylse their closing statement to Phase 4 of the Post Office Inquiry.
The describe the incompetence displayed by witnesses during this phase of the Post Office Inquiry and deliberate actions to ensure that cases against subpostmasters were not undermined by failing to request crucial ARQ (Audit Record Query) data from Fujitsu if they felt that it might compromise a case against a subpostmaster.
The scathing conclusion that the Post Office was not fit to undertake the role they appointed themselves leaves no room for doubt.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #NFSP
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83
Post Office Witnesses were 'Shockingly Incoherent'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Witnesses were 'Shockingly Incoherent' according to the NFSP in the summing up of their closing statement to Phase 4 of the Post Office Inquiry.
They highlight failings at the Post Office to this present day throughout the Post Office Scandal including the testimony of Post Office employees, past and present.
The language used about subpostmasters by the Post Office in internal communications is also laid out to demonstrate a culture in place at the Post Office that prioritised prosecutions over everything.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #NFSP
84
Post Office Inquiry Phase 5 and 6 Witnesses
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DPS Computing
Post Office Inquiry Phase 5 and 6 Witnesses have been released by Chair Sir Wyn Williams as we take a look through the 68 witnesses that have been called and provide a brief biography.
The inquiry says: "Phases 5 and 6 witnesses will include Post Office and Royal Mail Group board members; Post Office senior management; Post Office in-house and external lawyers; Fujitsu employees and senior executives; politicians and senior civil servants; campaigners; and independent reviewers"
The list of witnesses in alphabetical order:
Brian Altman KC
Lord James Arbuthnot of Edrom
Chris Aujard
Alan Bates
Tom Beezer
Patrick Bourke
Harry Bowyer
Sir Vince Cable
Richard Callard
Mark Callister-Davies
Alisdair Cameron
Richard Christou
Greg Clark MP
Simon Clarke
Alan Cook
Tom Cooper
Belinda Cortes-Martin (Crowe)
Susan Crichton
Adam Crozier
Sir Edward Davey MP
Christopher Day
Anthony De Garr Robinson KC
Andrew Dunks
Martin Edwards
Hugh Flemington
Ben Foat
Lord Anthony Grabiner KC
Dame Moya Greene
Ian Henderson
Sir Michael Hodgkinson
Sir Anthony Hooper
Rod Ismay
Margot James
Gareth Jenkins
Tony Kearns
Allan Leighton
Matthew Lenton
Kay Linnell
Jon Longman
Sir Stephen Lovegrove
Alwen Lyons
Baroness Lucy Neville-Rolfe
Jane MacLeod
Ken McCall
Neil McCausland
Pat McFadden MP
David Miller
David Mills
Patrick O'Sullivan
Tim Parker
Andrew Parsons
Alice Perkins
Mark Russell
Lesley Sewell
Jarnail Singh
David Smith
Martin Smith
Susannah Storey
Robert Swannell
Jo Swinson
Duncan Tait
George Thomson
Kelly Tolhurst MP
Angela Van Den Bogerd
Paula Vennells
Ron Warmington
Rodric Williams
Andrew Winn
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Government #Fujitsu #Phase5 #Phase5and6
85
Post Office Manager compares STATEMENT to a LETTER!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam draws comparisons, or perhaps shows some confusion, when she compares a witness STATEMENT provided through a solicitor to a court to a LETTER that she may sign off as part of her managerial duties at the Post Office.
It becomes increasingly clear that the witness statement wasn't written by herself and she potentially identifies two other managers who may have written it for her whilst suggesting that she may have signed it.
She discusses the reasons for this being that she wouldn't have understood the contracts of subpostmasters nor the Horizon call logs that the the statement says that she analysed.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ElaineCottam
86
Post Office Manager OMITS her OWN Involvement in Court Case
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam OMITS her OWN Involvement in the Court Case of a subpostmaster DESPITE having visited the branch and witnessed Horizon errors for herself as well as personally placing calls to the Horizon Helpdesk to help the subpostmaster with the issues they were facing with Horizon instantly following its introduction in the Post Office.
Elaine Cottam says that she cannot recall having an involvement with the Horizon Helpdesk but is shown call logs from her own witness statement that include her as the caller on more than one occasion.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ElaineCottam
87
Post Office Manager WITNESSED Horizon Bugs and COMPLAINED
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam witnessed Horizon Bugs at the Cleveleys Post Office after being called to support subpostmaster Julie Wolstenholme who was struggling with the system and indeed logging calls with the Horizon Helpdesk for help.
Elaine Cottam called for an update on the Post Office and was promised callbacks that she never received and then lodged a complaint herself about stock units that were having mystery additions in them, whilst she was present, which meant that the Horizon system wouldn't balance and they couldn't create the weekly cash account.
Despite the major issues, Fujitsu closed the call, without informing either Elaine Cottam or the subposmaster as they were already aware of the issue! 3 weeks later, the subpostmaster was suspended from her Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ElaineCottam
88
Post Office Manager UNSURE why she's at Post Office Inquiry!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam UNSURE why she's even at the Post Office Inquiry as we analyse her testimony where she's asked directly if her signature has been FORGED on the witness statement she provided to court in the Post Office prosecution case against Julie Wolstenholme at her Cleveleys Post Office.
Elaine Cottam is adamant that she doesn't understand her statement, didn't write it and wouldn't have obtained call logs after Jason Beer KC discovers not only discrepancies between the call logs and the witness statement but the curious omissions of call logs where Elaine Cottam HERSELF complained to the Horizon Helpdesk about bugs! Mistake or foul play?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ElaineCottam
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Post Office Manager - 'They ALWAYS Blamed Horizon!'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam claims 'They (subpostmaters) ALWAYS Blamed Horizon!' as she delivers controversial testimony to the Post Office Inquiry.
Perhaps, one might suspect, that Horizon was always blamed when it was at fault. And in the case of Julie Wolstenholme there seems to be ample evidence available, including from Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam's own complaints to the Horizon Helpline which were omitted from her witness statement to court.
She persists in saying that False Accounting DID happen, without a shadow of a doubt, at the Cleveleys Post Office in one of a number of controversial statements that she makes. But where is the evidence?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ElaineCottam
90
Post Office Manager Robustly DEFENDS Audit Process
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DPS Computing
Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam Robustly DEFENDS Audit Process subpostmasters were put through including the analysis of their Horizon systems, saying that they looked at 'everything' whilst admitting that she didn't know what they did at all!
In further revealing testimony to the Post Office Inquiry, she is shown an email chain between Post Office lawyers Jim Cruise and Mandy Talbot where they confirm that Elaine Cottam has a full history of the Horizon Helpdesk call logs after the Post Office lawyers raised that they needed a full audit trail after Julie Wolstenholme and Roger Harrison called the integrity of their Horizon system into question, indeed inviting in Fujitsu to have a look at the system themselves.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ElaineCottam
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Post Office Manager INSISTS Horizon Only Had 'Teething Problems'
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Post Office Manager Elaine Cottam INSISTS Horizon Only Had 'Teething Problems' during her testimony to the Post Office Inquiry, despite the fact that she herself, on at least three occasions, complained to the Horizon Helpline about technical problems before saying in a witness statement to court that all of Julie Wolstenholme's problems at the Cleveleys Post Office branch were down to general or usage of system problems.
She again tries to deny facts that are noted in her statement and Jason Beer KC insists that he 'isn't willing to cover old ground again'.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #ElaineCottam
92
Post Office Inquiry Tribute to Stanley Subpostmaster Tom Brown
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Post Office Inquiry Tribute to Stanley Subpostmaster Tom Brown ahead of hearings on the 30th November 2023 after he tragically passed away without seeing justice for what happened to him due to the Post Office Scandal.
Mr Tom Brown, who fought off armed robbers FIVE times from his Post Office and was awarded a Certificate of Valour was pursued for an alleged £85,000 loss at his Post Office through the criminal courts which ended up bankrupting him in 2010 with bailiffs seizing all his property and auctioning it to make up the alleged Horizon shortfall.
Rest in peace.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #TomBrown
93
Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh CUTS ACROSS Jason Beer KC
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnial Singh CUTS ACROSS Jason Beer KC as he corrects his witness statement to the Post Office Inquiry.
Jason Beer KC requests multiple times that former Post Office Lawyer Jarnial Singh allows his to complete a question before delivering an answer.
In addition to corrections to his statement, Sir Wyn Williams delivers Mr Singh a warning against self incrimination and confirms that he does have a lawyer at the Post Office Inquiry.
The most significant correction is with his 'limited' relationship with Gareth Jenkins becoming much more substantial.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #JarnailSingh
94
Post Office Senior Lawyer WITHOUT Criminal Law Experience!
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Post Office Senior Lawyer Jarnial Singh is WITHOUT Criminal Law Experience when he joins the Post Office Criminal Law Team as he tells the Post Office Inquiry he was mainly involved in other work predominantly related to defence, although was involved in the preparation and research of some prosecutions as a legal executive before he qualified as a solicitor.
Jason Beer KC analyses his CV that he attached to his witness statement and picks up the point that he says he was 'THE senior lawyer' in the criminal law team which he then clarifies meant that he was one of eight senior lawyers who reported directly to the Head of Criminal Law and the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
95
Post Office Lawyer - Private Practice 'looked better on paper'
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh says his 28 year old Private Practice 'looked better on paper' as he is quizzed on his involvement listed on an extensive-sounding conveyancing business he says he owned and ran since April 1996.
Defending his CV, he suggests that it became cost-prohibitive to have liability insurance from the year 2000 and that since then he was just being 'mentored' and 'referring clients' providing a service to the community.
Jarnail Singh compares his private legal practice to the hobby of stamp collecting.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
96
Post Office Lawyer 'feels the hurt and pain' caused to subpostmasters
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh tells the Post Office Inquiry that he 'feels the hurt and pain' caused to subpostmasters by their private prosecutions by the Post Office which he admits were miscarriages of justice.
He discusses the separation of the Post Office from the Royal Mail in April 2012 and how the Post Office Criminal Law Team reduced the number of senior lawyers from 8 to 1 whilst contracting out much of the prosecution work to legal firm Cartwright King.
He says the loss of support staff meant that he felt he couldn't do the job that he was supposed to and identified examples of difficulty he faced in the new restructured Post Office Criminal Law Team
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
97
Post Office Lawyer accused of 'generating an air of detachment'
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh is accused of 'generating an air of detachment' during his testimony to the Post Office Inquiry where Jason Beer KC contrasts the words he is saying now with the statement that he provided to the Post Office Inquiry.
The Post Office Lawyer is keen to point out that he was part of a larger organisation and that maybe the Post Office 'wasn't capable' of handling the prosecutions of subpostmasters in hindsight.
Whilst apparently keen not to blame anyone else, the one mistake he identifies and takes responsibility for is that he relied too much on what others were telling him.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
98
Post Office Lawyer - 'I would have stuck to the FACTS'
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh insists that 'I would have stuck to the FACTS' when testifying at the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry about his 'hurt' that he feels for subpostmasters who were wrongly prosecuted.
This appears to be at odds with an email that he sent out to a wide distribution list entitled 'ATTACK ON HORIZON' where he claims that it isn't language that 'would come naturally to him' and that initially, the distribution list of was dictated to him as he didn't really know many of the recipients before going on to claim the the subject of the email was dictated to him.
Whilst accepting that he dictated the email, he suggests that others specified the distribution list as well as the subject of the email and that he would have simply stuck to the FACTS of the case.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
99
Post Office Lawyer - You're Asking The WRONG Person
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh insists 'You're Asking The WRONG Person' as counsel to the Post Office Inquiry Jason Beer KC questions Jarnail Singh about the 'horizon bashing bandwagon' email that HE sent!
Whilst struggling to identify who would be the right person to ask, or indeed anyone at all, he insists that the words in the email 'don't come naturally to him' despite the fact that he admits to not only sending it but dictating it to his secretary.
The central claim from Jarnail Singh that the email he sent and dictated was dictated to him is examined along with the proposed evidence he has of this.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
100
Post Office Lawyer - 'Horizon Bashing Bandwagon' WASN'T my fault!
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh tells the Post Office Inquiry that the 'Horizon Bashing Bandwagon' email WASN'T my fault as he says that whilst he dictated the email to his secretary and it was sent in his name it's not the kind of language that he would use and agrees it would be 'at odds with his professional duties' to use such 'breathless' and 'emotive' language.
Whilst he says Rob Wilson would have approved the email he was less inclined to name who might have dictated it to him saying that he's not at the Post Office Inquiry to 'name names'.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
101
Post Office Lawyer 'Justified Executive Confidence' in Horizon
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Post Office Lawyer 'Justified Executive Confidence' in Horizon following the prosecution of Seema Misra as he is sent a congratulatory email by the Post Office Executive team in new documents disclosed to the Post Office Inquiry.
Jarnail Singh says that he was not aware, but would have expected there to be interest from Post Office Executives in the case he was helping them to prosecute but says that he isn't a very public person and didn't really like the congratulatory side of things as he characterises himself as an 'old school lawyer' with a desktop PC.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
102
Post Office Lawyer - Horizon Challenges will 'Melt Away'
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh is confronted with an email where, in providing an update to a fellow lawyer about Post Office Prosecutions, that subpostmasters were 'jumping on the passing [Horizon] bandwagon' and that their Horizon challenges will 'melt away like midnight snow' saying that to stop prosecutions of subpostmasters would look like a lack of confidence in the Fujitsu developed Horizon system that was integral to the Post Office.
Trying to distance himself again from the 'Horizon bandwagon' comments he says that this wasn't his individual view but a 'team view' at the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh #HorizonBandwagon
103
Post Office Lawyer - I'm 'MORE Aggrieved' Than Subpostmasters
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh tells the Post Office Inquiry that 'I'm MORE Aggrieved Than Subpostmasters' who were wrongly prosecuted by the Post Office for Horizon shortfalls.
He distances himself from 'crass comments' made in an update email that he sent claiming them not to be his words but merely an update he provided to the Post Office on behalf of Cartwright King, the legal firm who Post Office prosecutions were outsourced to.
He denies any knowledge of any expert witness to testify in the cases about the Fujitsu Horizon system saying that he didn't think one had been found.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
104
Post Office Lawyer told his language is 'too emotive'
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh was told by the Post Office Public Relations department that his language was 'too emotive' as he trotted out the now infamous 'Horizon bashing bandwagon' email 4 years after it was originally written in response to a request for help with a press release relating to the Seema Misra case.
He is then encouraged to 'stick to the facts', which he has previously claimed that he would prefer to do despite persistently repeating that subpostmasters were 'jumping on a passing bandwagon' in relation to using Horizon issues as a defence in their prosecutions by the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
105
Post Office Lawyer - Scrutinising OWN Work was 'next to impossible'
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh tells the Post Office Inquiry that Scrutinising OWN Work was 'next to impossible' as he suffered with an 'unmanageable' workload as the senior lawyer within the Criminal Law Team at the Post Office.
Jason Beer KC puts to Jarnail Singh that he didn't write the factual summary of Seema Misra's case as it wasn't littered with spelling and grammatical errors.
Despite previously saying that he wasn't at the Post Office Inquiry to 'name names' he seems happy to identify some of the contributors to the summary and describes it as a 'team effort'.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
106
Post Office Chair Claims Government STALLING Scandal Compensation
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Former Post Office Chair Henry Staunton, who was dismissed by Kemi Badenoch last month claims that the Government are STALLING Post Office Scandal Compensation to allow the government to 'limp into the election'.
Kemi Badenoch has come out to deny the claims on X saying that she is discussing the issue with Government lawyers although it is interesting to note that she appears to now be suggesting his reasons for dismissal were 'concerns over his conduct' having previously said there were 'disagreements' resulting in his departure including his inability to sort out compensation for subpostmasters.
#PostOfficeScandal #HenryStaunton #PostOfficeChair #PostOfficeNews #KemiBadenoch
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107
Post Office - Horizon Bugs were a 'desperate DISTRACTION technique'
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh characterises subpostmasters claims about Horizon Bugs during their prosecutions were a 'desperate DISTRACTION technique' deployed after 'their original defences had failed'.
When asked about these claims Jarnail Singh says that this was never his view and that it was a 'team effort' with 'many contributors' to the summary he provided of the Seema Misra case.
He tells the Post Office Inquiry that he would have simply been too busy to write a summary of the case and admits that he 'doesn't do some things well' so would have sought input from the wider Post Office team.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
108
Post Office Lawyer outlines 'Top 5 Matters' in his team
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh outlines the 'Top 5 Matters' in his Criminal Law Team at the Post Office in 2014 to the Post Office Inquiry including some concern about the then ongoing Second Sight report and the raising of the threshold to £20k for prosecuting subpostmasters.
He mentions that he 'envisages' counter fraud intiatives and 'early intervention' marking a 'shift in Post Office prosecution policy'.
So after his comments, why does there seem to have been no such substantial shift in Post Office prosecution policy until 2019 when the Post Office stopped prosecuting subpostmasters for alleged Horizon shortfalls?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
109
Post Office Lawyer UNSURE if he was Head of Criminal Law!
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh is UNSURE if he was Head of Criminal Law at the Post Office as he drops the 'Head of Legal' into conversation.
Jarnail Singh says that people might have viewed it that way as he was the only criminal lawyer before indeed suggesting that he was the Head of Criminal Law Team at the Post Office after he 'saw an opportunity' and visited Cartwright King after Rob Wilson allegedly was wanted for the role and pulled out last minute.
So was Jarnail Singh the Head of Criminal Law and the Post Office?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
110
Post Office Lawyer advises on BBC One Show Damage Control
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh is brought in on an interview request from journalist Nick Wallice for a piece on the BBC One Show in 2014 reporting on the Post Office Scandal to provide robust lines for damage control.
Jarnail Singh seems to be infuriated by being hounded for answers to questions and this leads to a fiery exchange with Jason Beer KC telling him to answer the questions and that he is not in charge at the Post Office Inquiry.
Post Office are suggesting a robust defence of the Horizon system is undertaken and that there should be doubt thrown on 'specialists commenting from the sidelines'.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh #BBC #BBCOne #BBCOneShow #OneShow
111
Post Office Lawyer DENIES His OWN 'Wild Speculation'
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Post Office Lawyer DENIES His OWN 'Wild Speculation' about an unnamed subpostmaster speaking to journalist Nick Wallis as someone who had said one thing under caution and then is now 'purposefully misrepresenting the facts' in his response internally at the Post Office to an interview request from the BBC One Show.
Despite Jarnail Singh sending the email and beginning it 'my comments' he completely denies writing it saying that Cartwright King would have done so. When asked why there is no email trail of this he says that it was likely a conversation.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh #BBC #BBCOne #OneShow
112
Post Office Lawyer - Nobody BELIEVED What We Wrote!
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh tells the Post Office Inquiry that nobody BELIEVED what we wrote as he distances himself from an email full of references to what 'I' did that he indeed sent himself describing the alleged 'dishonesty' of subpostmasters and giving the reason that 'they didn't seem to be leading luxurious lifestyles' as they were 'propping up their failing shop businesses' with the money the Post Office alleged was being stolen due to the faulty Fujitsu Horizon system.
He says that the contents of the email both were and were not the view of the Criminal Law Team at the Post Office!
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
113
Post Office Lawyer admits he was 'just a postbox'
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh admits Jason Beer KC's suggestion that he was 'just a postbox' by being a 'point of contact' for Cartwright King after subposmaster prosecutions were handed over to them in 2012.
Jarnail Singh denies having any oversight of Cartwright King despite being the only criminal lawyer at the Post Office at the time. He says that he was taken to deal with other work which Jason Beer suggests is 'Horizon fallout' after he mentions the Second Sight report as well as the mediation scheme - before later distancing himself somewhat from the much maligned subpostmaster mediation scheme aimed at satisfying demands from angered subpostmasters who had been understandably aggrieved by the allegations made against them.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
114
Post Office Lawyer says DEFENCE Barristers kept him in check
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh says DEFENCE Barristers kept him in check with the Post Office Prosecution Policy as he explains the monitoring in place at the Post Office to ensure that he stuck to the policy when orchestrating the prosecution of subpostmasters.
He is quick to point out that as 'policy owner' he did not create, contribute to, maintain or oversee the policies - even once he became the only criminal lawyer in the Post Office following its separation from the Royal Mail Group.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
115
Post Office Lawyer CONFRONTED with evidence he LED prosecutions
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh is CONFRONTED with evidence by Jason Beer KC at the Post Office Inquiry that he in fact LEAD prosecutions against subpostmasters throughout the period that he says all responsibility was handed over to legal firm Cartwright King.
Despite his previous denials of involvement or supervision, Jarnail Singh identifies himself in questions from Brian Altman QC as THE decision maker in the cases in 2014.
Jarnail Singh is also asked about a policy meeting where he appears to have involvement in both then-current Post Office Prosecution Policies as well as proposals for new policies.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
116
Post Office Lawyer HOPED he received vital disclosure documents
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh tells the Post Office Inquiry that he HOPED he received vital disclosure documents when deciding whether or not to prosecute subpostmasters during his time in the Criminal Law Team.
Jarnail Singh says he's not sure about prosecution policies at the Post Office and followed the Crown Prosecutor's Code of Practice and says that he did decide that some cases 'were not in the public interest' due to the sums of money alleged in shortfalls and the health of the subpostmasters or their families.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
117
Post Office Lawyer ADMITS that he was the decision maker!
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh admits to Jason Beer KC, after much deflection, that he WAS the decision maker on subpostmasters prosecutions when asked if he would have to refer his advice on to someone else for them to make a decision at the Post Office Inquiry.
Despite previously distancing himself from responsibility for the cases, he now suggests that he did indeed play a role in deciding whether there was sufficient evidence for the prosecution of a subpostmaster and whether there was a realistic prospect of conviction.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
118
Post Office Lawyer admits 'foolproof' Horizon could go wrong
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh admits that 'foolproof' Horizon machines could go wrong but is seemingly not able to explain to Jason Beer KC at the Post Office Inquiry why he didn't make an attempts to verify the accuracy of Horizon data that he was provided beyond getting someone to sign a witness statement saying it was installed and running perfectly.
Whilst admitting that audit data should have always been sought, he struggles to explain how the Post Office could even prove that had a loss had occurred without it saying that he relied on the auditors to check the information.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
119
Post Office Lawyer REVERSED the Burden of Proof!
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh has it put to him that he REVERSED the Burden of Proof back onto accused subpostmasters and asked why he didn't request crucial audit data from Fujitsu to prove whether a loss had even occurred!
He does admit that he was wrong to do this but despite saying that he had read the Court of Appeal's judgement in Jo Hamilton's case was still suggesting in October 2023 that it was down to the Defence to request the evidence that they wanted rather than for the Post Office to proactively obtain it as part of a thorough investigation.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
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120
Post Office REFUSED Data Request Due To Time and Cost
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Post Office REFUSED Audit Data Request from Defence Solicitors for a subpostmasters Due To Time and Cost it is revealed at the Post Office Inquiry when Jason Beer KC questions Jarnail Singh about a letter he wrote regarding Seema Misra's case.
Jarnail Singh concedes that neither time nor cost were valid reasons not to seek audit data in the Post Office's prosecution of subpostmasters and indeed Jarnail Singh was advised by both the Defence, the Head of Legal at Fujitsu and their star expert witness Gareth Jenkins to collect the data to avoid 'speculation'.
This advice never appears to have been acted upon.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
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121
Post Office Lawyer - Subpostmasters should have detailed Horizon bugs
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh tells the inquiry that he was just trying to 'help' and 'do favours' for Seema Misra's legal team when he suggested Subpostmasters should have detailed lists of Horizon bugs that they have encountered in response to a disclosure by her legal team to the audit data from Fujitsu Horizon to prove that a loss had even occurred.
He suggested that the fact they hadn't provided the Post Office with a 'defence statement' listing Horizon issues as a defence would 'damage the credibility' of their client in trial, seemingly avoiding the disclosure requested in the letter sent to him.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
122
Post Office Lawyer's OWN Solicitor STOPS the Post Office Inquiry
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh's OWN Solicitor STOPS the Post Office Inquiry when she insists that they haven't been provided a copy of the evidence that shows Jarnail Singh DID conclude a prosecution of a subpostmaster would deter other subpostmasters from 'offending' after he had denied it and said that all cases would be decided on their merits.
Jarnail Singh said he would consider the evidence and the public interest and, whilst that can be seen in the evidence shown at the Post Office Inquiry it also shows his conclusions that state such a prosecution would act as a 'deterrent effect' to others.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
123
Post Office Lawyer asked what power he had to issue CAUTIONS
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh asked what power he had to issue CAUTIONS by Jason Beer KC at the Post Office Inquiry.
Jarnail Singh goes on to reference the Code of Practice for Crown Prosecutors which doesn't cover cautions. He is also unsure if there was a statutory basis for the Post Office issuing cautions and whether the Post Office had any policies and guidance on the issuing of cautions upon which he is unsure.
He does highlight several factors that would influence whether a caution, rather than a prosecution, would be sought by the Post Office including a 'full and frank admission' of the allegations.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
124
Post Office Lawyer schooled in Expert Witness requirements
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh is schooled by Jason Beer KC in the requirements of a Expert Witness proposed by a prosecutor in a criminal trial.
Whilst Jarnail Singh agrees with them all, after long pauses, he takes issue with the fact that Gareth Jenkins was considered an expert - he says rather than an expert he was simply the person put forward by Fujitsu as the only person who could possibly comment on such a complicated and 'sophisticated' system as Horizon...
Confused? We don't blame you... When is an expert not an expert?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
125
Post Office Lawyer VAGUELY aware of Expert Reports
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh admits that he's only VAGUELY aware of the requirements for Expert Reports in response to Jason Beer KC at the Post Office Inquiry.
Jason Beer goes through a number of requirements for expert reports which Jarnail Singh says he's aware of 'in general terms' and would have looked into it further if he'd ever instructed an expert in a Post Office prosecution case.
Despite the 'sophisticated' Horizon system being hard to understand, he doesn't recall having required expert witnesses in any Post Office prosecution case of a subpostmaster.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
126
Post Office Lawyer says witness had non-expert EXPERTISE
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh insists that Gareth Jenkins was a 'witness of fact' because of his 'expertise' but was definitely not an 'expert' despite being able to comment on the 'specialist' Horizon system.
Having gone through the requirements of an expert report with Jason Beer KC, Jarnail Singh agrees with him at the Post Office Inquiry that the reports contained none of the features required of an expert report but he consistently insists that's because they didn't see Gareth Jenkins as an expert at all.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh #GarethJenkins
127
Post Office Lawyer's Expert Statement TORN APART by Jason Beer KC
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh has his Expert Witness Statement to the Post Office Inquiry TORN APART by Jason Beer KC over the status of Gareth Jenkins in the prosecutions and trials of subpostmasters.
Avoiding using the words 'expert witness' he explains that he would have preferred to get a professor but that he couldn't find anyone else who could understand the sophisticated, complex and bespoke system as their non-expert witness with expertise in it.
When the court determined Gareth Jenkins to be an expert, did the Post Office object?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh #GarethJenkins
128
Inquiry Chair FED UP with Post Office Lawyer NOT answering questions
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Inquiry Chair FED Up with Post Office Lawyer NOT answering questions as Jason Beer previously advises him to stick to the questions he's asking rather than going off on tangents about 'other stuff'.
Not heeding this warning, Chair of the Post Office Inquiry Sir Wyn Williams dramatically intervenes saying 'what more evidence do I need that he [Jenkins] was an expert other than what you've just said'.
Jarnail Singh says that he cannot think as fast as Jason Beer KC and the Post Office Inquiry takes a break to allow him to 'prepare himself'.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh #GarethJenkins
129
Post Office Lawyer accused of 'Rewriting History' in COVER UP
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh is accused of 'Rewriting History' as multiple pieces of evidence expose potential untruths from his witness statement to the Post Office Inquiry.
As temperatures rise during the testimony Jarnail Singh can be seen to be tapping his witness statement claiming that it's all in their and it makes it the truth - despite growing evidence that the Post Office Inquiry has obtained to the contrary.
Unrattled, Jason Beer KC puts his conclusions to Jarnail Singh asking if he's 'Rewriting History' because he didn't follow the correct procedures and handling of witnesses or prosecution cases.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
130
Post Office MISHANDLING of Horizon Disclosure Request
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Post Office MISHANDLING of critical known Horizon bugs Disclosure Request to Fujitsu recommended by Warwick Tatford could have resulted in Fujitsu not disclosing all the known errors with the Horizon system to Post Office as part of the evidence for Seema Misra's trial due to a MISCOMMUNICATION of who the request was directed to - Gareth Jenkins or Fujitsu.
Whilst initially the disclosure request is missed entirely, a conversation between Warwick Tatford and Jon Longman referenced in a key email seems to have flagged it but a subtle change of words and 'casual handling' of the case may have led to omissions.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
131
Post Office Lawyer admits errors SHOULD have ENDED prosecutions
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh admits that any known errors with Fujitsu Horizon SHOULD have ENDED Post Office prosecutions of subpostmasters but isn't clear on whether he ever got the question as to whether there were any known errors answered by Fujitsu in the case of Seema Misra.
Jarnail Singh declares that 'he wasn't the only lawyer' and says that he struggles to remember the rationale behind his emails to Fujitsu and Post Office counsel or whether he followed up and got answers to questions he was asking to disclose to the defence.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
132
Post Office Lawyer becomes SUSPICIOUS about CALENDAR DATES!
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh becomes SUSPICIOUS about CALENDAR DATES whilst being questioned by Jason Beer KC answering 'I don't know' to a question about whether an email sent on 5th February was the Friday before the Monday 8th February court deadline.
Jason Beer KC says that he doesn't want this to descend into disagreement over 'how a calendar works' as Jarnail Singh seems to be becoming increasingly suspicious at the Post Office Inquiry.
Surely, the dates of the year are not going to be denied?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
133
Post Office Lawyer made aware of FATAL FLAW in prosecution
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh is made aware of a FATAL FLAW in a prosecution case against a subpostmaster by Fujitsu due to missing audit data that has not been requested for the branch in question.
Jarnail Singh describes it as 'essential' that this is pointed out in a disclosure log to the defence and the court - but does such disclosure ever take place?
Jarnail Singh insists that he did everything he could but despite being made aware of issues relating to a lack of data 6 months before by Jon Longman, no progress appears to have been made right up to the court's deadline.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
134
Post Office Lawyer admits evidence MISSING from disclosure
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Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh admits that evidence was MISSING from disclosure to the defence and court in a case of Post Office prosecution against a subpostmaster as email exchanges between himself and others are omitted in addition to drafts of witness statements where there had been 'material changes' to what was said in the finalised version.
Jarnail Singh admits that these should have been included but had to take some time away from the Post Office at the time so this should have been handled by someone else.
Asked about what steps he took to ensure that this would be the case, he says that the case was constantly under review.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
135
Post Office Lawyer ADMITS mishandling EXPERT witness
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DPS Computing
Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh finally ADMITS mishandling EXPERT witness Gareth Jenkins after being presented with numerous pieces of evidence at the Post Office Inquiry, some that he wrote himself, referring to Gareth Jenkins as being an expert witness in the prosecution of the case of Seema Misra whilst working at the Post Office.
In light of the overwhelming evidence, Jarnail Singh admits that he made an 'error' in not explaining the duties of an expert witness to Gareth Jenkins at any point and agrees that he should have done so.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
136
Post Office Lawyer OMITS Locking Issue from Disclosure
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DPS Computing
Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh OMITS the 'Locking Issue' mentioned by Gareth Jenkins and passed on to the Post Office via David Jones from Disclosure and also seemingly from internal discussions regarding the draft answers to be provided to the defence when emailing Warwick Tatford and Jon Longman following evidence shown to the Post Office Inquiry.
Jarnail Singh stops to consult with his lawyer briefly before answering the question raising an issue relating to the self-incrimination warning previously delivered at the beginning of his evidence by Post Office Inquiry chair Sir Wyn Williams.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
137
Post Office Lawyer UNSURE about lack of defence disclosure
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DPS Computing
Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh is UNSURE about the lack of defence disclosure regarding the 'locking issue' mentioned by Gareth Jenkins when questioned by Jason Beer KC and the Post Office Inquiry.
Following consultation with his solicitor, Jason Beer KC pointedly asks if he has 'now decided to respond with I don't know and I don't recall' to which Jarnail Singh replies that without further context and given the passage of time it is now hard for him to recall these events.
The locking issue is last mentioned in an email from Fujitsu to Jarnail Singh but is subsequently not mentioned in further communication on the subject nor is it mentioned in the witness statement.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
138
Post Office Lawyer says he cannot explain in MINUTE detail
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DPS Computing
Post Office Lawyer Jarnail Singh says that he cannot explain in MINUTE detail why the witness statement provided by Gareth Jenkins from Fujitsu doesn't meet the criteria of an expert report but nethertheless seems to agree that it does not.
Additionally, he says that he is unsure of the instruction given to Gareth Jenkins for meeting with the defence's expert beyond an email where he informs him to meet with him and let him know once it's happened.
He explains that without further context it is difficult for him to answer the questions any further.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
139
Post Office issued a stay for ABUSE of process in prosecution
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DPS Computing
Post Office issued a stay for ABUSE of process in the prosecution of Seema Misra and this is shown to Jarnail Singh at the Post Office Inquiry for comment as he concludes his evidence to Phase 4.
Jarnail Singh comments that this took place a long time ago and the stay for abuse of process highlights the 'contradictory statements' in the defence statement served from Gareth Jenkins relating to audit data that needs to be requested that they felt they have already requested by this point.
Jarnail Singh says that he feels some of these events happened much later based on his recollection of events from the time.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #JarnailSingh
140
Post Office Investigator describes pre-Horizon Computer Systems
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen describes pre-Horizon Computer Systems Echo and ALPS that she used on a Post Office Counter from 1992 as well as details surrounding her training in the role of an investigator at the Royal Mail and the Post Office.
She describes a three week residential course upon taking up the role of an investigator at the Post Office but recalls that only one day of Horizon training was given. She says that she didn't have an formal investigator training or experience prior to taking up her role as a Post Office Investigator.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator
141
Post Office Investigator INSISTS Job Cuts DIDN'T Impact Quality
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen INSISTS Job Cuts in the Security Team throughout her time there DIDN'T Impact on the Quality of investigations insisting that they maintained the requirements and standards set out by the Compliance Team at the Post Office.
Despite this, she does concede that they were extremely busy and the evidence presented from managers regarding one 'headcount reduction' confirms that the jobs they were doing were not surplus to requirements.
Nethertheless, numerous posts were identified to be made redundant to aid 'efficiency' and keep the Post Office 'sustainably profitable'.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
142
Post Office Investigator - Horizon ALONE was INSUFFICIENT Evidence
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen says that Horizon evidence ALONE was INSUFFICIENT Evidence to interview a subpostmaster under caution in contrast with what some previous investigators have told the Post Office Inquiry.
Lisa Allen says that is subpostmasters had reasons why there might be a shortfall an interview under caution wouldn't be performed.
She highlights that prosecutions against subpostmasters would not proceed if a contracts manager 'agreed' to accept a repayment of a shortfall from a subpostmaster and that she didn't believe it was right to launch a prosecution against a subpostmaster who hadn't been at least suspended even if not yet dismissed.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
143
Post Office Investigator explains Legal and Disclosure Duties
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen explains the Legal and Disclosure Duties of her investigator role at the the Royal Mail Group and the Post Office.
She discusses her role as a Disclosure Officer and the distinct duties that came with such a role. She also discusses the duties of an investigator to investigate both lines of enquiry supporting the allegations as well as those against the allegations including an example where she successfully identified evidence that undermined an initial allegation following an interview with a subpostmistress.
However, she doesn't remember any formal training on how these duties were implemented in practice and instead details how she had to rely on herself.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
144
Post Office Investigator ARQ Data Requests REFUSED!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen tells the Post Office Inquiry that ARQ Data Requests were routinely REFUSED by Post Office Casework Managers if there were large amounts of data being requested on the grounds of costs - even when the data was specifically requested by defence teams as part of disclosure.
Lisa Allen confirms that each ARQ request for 30 days would count as one request so even requesting a single month containing 31 days would constitute 2 requests according to Fujitsu's Horizon contract with the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
145
Post Office Investigator MISSES Opportunity to Investigate Issues
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen MISSES Opportunity to Investigate wider Horizon balancing issues in the case of Suzanne Palmer who was under investigation following on from an error notice indicating £2,500 worth of missing scratchcards that the Post Office said had been activated but there was no money for.
Suzanne Palmer explains a long history of Horizon issues related to balancing and that most normally sort themselves out quite quickly - £100 up one week and £100 down the next week. However, this issue was inexplicable to the subpostmaster and she was repeatedly asking for help from the Helplines, evidence which the investigators obtained, but despite this was receiving stock lines from the Post Office about bringing the error notices to account.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
146
Post Office Investigator ADMITS Investigation Failings
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen ADMITS Investigation Failings to the Post Office Inquiry on reflection of the case brought against Suzanne Palmer where a jury took less than 35 minutes to deliver a 'not guilty' verdict on all counts of False Accounting brought against her whilst working at The Grange Post Office.
Lisa Allen discusses that ARQ data should have been requested and also discusses the integrity of such data after an issue, sometime later, was raised with duplicate transactions from the Horizon system.
Whilst admitting these failings, she says that she doesn't think it would have impacted the outcome of the investigation.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
147
HELPLESS Post Office Left Subpostmaster STRANDED
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DPS Computing
HELPLESS Post Office Left Subpostmaster STRANDED as they faced regular Horizon balancing issues that appear to have been overlooked by Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen as she testifies at the Post Office Inquiry.
The loss under investigation was a significant scratchcard loss, but subpostmaster Suzanne Palmer makes it clear that balancing issues are regularly occurring but that they have usually 'sorted themselves out' until now.
This key line of inquiry appears to have been overlooked in the course of the Post Office investigation into losses at the Post Office branch.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
148
Post Office Investigator Makes False Accounting Report
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen Makes a False Account Report in the case of Suzanne Palmer in preparation for her Post Office prosecution and is explaining the detail contained within to the Post Office Inquiry.
Despite being clearly mentioned on numerous occasions during the taped interview preceding the report, all mentions of any issues with Fujitsu Horizon - including balancing issues - are omitted from the report in addition to any mention of calls to both the Horizon Helpline and NBSC Post Office helpline. But why is this?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
149
Post Office Investigator Prepares Witness Statement for Court
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen tells the Post Office Inquiry about a witness statement prepared for court in the case of Suzanne Palmer who is accused of taking almost £15,000 with the main focus on error notices relating to £2,500 missing related to scratch cards.
Following the green light from Jarnail Singh, the case is passed to Counsel who advice that there are several elements required to be obtained including the operating procedures relating to Horizon and scratchcards as well as unanswered questions about the error notices that Suzanne Palmer discusses in her first interview.
Lisa Allen discusses the second follow up statement that she made to the court.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
150
Post Office Investigator SELECTIVE Data Request
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen is asked at the Post Office Inquiry about the SELECTIVE Eventual Data Request that was made to Fujitsu from the Horizon system on the advice of counsel in the Post Office prosecution case of subpostmistress Suzanne Palmer at The Grange Post Office.
Despite confirming earlier that data requests were in 'units of 30 days' only 7 days relating to error notices are eventually requested from Fujitsu. But why was this?
Call logs are shown to have multiple balancing issues but these were assumed to be unrelated to the scratchcard error notices. How was this determination reached?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
151
Post Office Investigator Explains WHY Horizon WASN'T Challenged
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen explains to the Post Office Inquiry WHY Horizon WASN'T Challenged by investigators even as cases where Horizon issues were raised by the defence topped £1 million by 2010/2011.
Lisa Allen said that she felt that investigators were not in a position to challenge expert evidence provided by Fujitsu that Horizon was a robust system and admits that no one in the Security Team at the Post Office held the belief that there were any issues with Horizon.
Whilst explaining that this was the thought of Post Office workers at the time, she cannot identify how this came into being.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen
152
Post Office Investigator REJECTS Inadequate Investigation Claim
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Lisa Allen REJECTS Inadequate Investigation Claim which is put to her by Suzanne Palmer's legal team as she takes questions from Core Participants at the Post Office Inquiry.
Lisa Allen admits that all reasonable lines of enquiry were not followed however this was much easier to see in hindsight.
She does accept that whilst the Horizon issues reported by Suzanne Palmer did not make their way into her investigation report, she says that these were included in the appendix with the transcript of the taped interview with her.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #LisaAllen #CoreParticipants
153
Post Office Barrister Outlines His Involvement In Cases
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC Outlines His Involvement in Post Office Cases as he begins his testimony to the Post Office Inquiry.
He makes corrections to his witness statement, largely based on new documentation that has been provided to him subsequently by the Post Office Inquiry.
He outlines, from the records of his Chambers, his involvement in cases but believes that the only case he was involved in that led to substantial action was the case of Lee Castleton.
He outlines his area of expertise in commercial litigation.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC
154
Post Office FEARED a 'Flood of Cases' amid Horizon Concerns
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DPS Computing
Post Office FEARED a 'Flood of Cases' from subpostmasters amid Horizon Concerns as they sought the advice of Richard Morgan KC who is questioned about the initial meeting between himself, colleagues and Post Office lawyers and General Counsel Susan Crichton at the Post Office Inquiry.
Richard Morgan KC says that he has limited recollection of the meeting although discusses details of the attendance note from the meeting outlining the fears that Post Office had amid the a group litigation being launched by subpostmasters as well as a legal firm preparing dozens of claims against the Post Office in 2012.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC
155
Post Office Barrister - DAMNED if they do and DAMNED if they don't
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC explains the attendance note to the Post Office Inquiry where it is stated that the Post Office are 'DAMNED if they do and DAMNED if they don't as he outlines the no-win scenario that they have painted themselves into by bringing action against subpostmasters on shaky legal ground.
When discussing the prospect of an independent report in the face of a 'flood of cases' being brought by pursued subpostmasters the attendance note explains that if the expert found no issues with Horizon they would be accused of a "whitewash" and if they did find issues that the 'floodgate of legal cases' would open up.
He tells the Post Office Inquiry that it is fair to advise the Post Office to not commission the report as, essentially, no good can come from it for the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC
156
Post Office Barrister AGGRESSIVELY Accused SPM of Making Figures Up
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC AGGRESSIVELY Accused SPM Lee Castleton of 'making figures up' at trial as he testifies to the Post Office Inquiry.
He explains multiple times in his witness statement that it was hard to prove Horizon was working but denies that the Post Office ever confirmed that they were having problems with Fujitsu Horizon.
Despite this, he said that it made sense to not rely on Horizon evidence as it didn't even prove a loss had occurred - merely proving that 'a machine' had done 'a calculation' and come to a figure and that different evidence was required to prove a loss had occurred at a Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
157
Post Office Barrister AVOIDED Horizon for an Easy Case
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister AVOIDED Horizon for an 'easy' case he explains to the Post Office Inquiry insisting avoiding 'Horizon produced evidence' would make things more straightforward.
Jason Beer KC asks about his approach to Lee Castleton's case - the case Richard Morgan KC identifies that he had involvement in that led to 'significant' action and says that it was easier to adjust the case to rely on documentation that was signed by a subpostmaster rather than the 'impossible' task of proving that Horizon errors hadn't contributed to the issues faced by subpostmasters.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
158
Post Office Barrister FIRMLY Disagrees with Horizon Definition
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister FIRMLY Disagrees with the definition of a 'Horizon produced document' definition with Jason Beer KC as they discuss the documentation from Lee Castleton's case at the Marine Drive Post Office.
He disputes that Lee Castleton said the documents were inaccurate, despite his numerous logged calls to the helpline saying precisely that saying that once he signed a document produced by Horizon it 'became his document'.
Richard Morgan KC attempts to explain the position that losses could be proved without Horizon produced documentation, despite the fact that some of the 'primary documentation' he references has precisely come from the Horizon system.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
159
Post Office Barrister ADVISED 'PR Exercise' to Placate Subpostmasters
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC answers questions from Jason Beer KC about an attendance note created at a meeting involving him and Post Office lawyers and General Counsel at the Post Office Inquiry.
The attendance note suggests that the Post Office 'discuss with MPs privately' any cases that they are 'interested in' in an attempt to get to the bottom of any issues they are having with the Fujitsu Horizon system.
There is also a suggestion that a 'PR exercise' is carried out to make the Post Office look good and placate subpostmasters by asking them to share their feedback on Horizon with the Post Office and any issues they have faced.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC
160
Post Office Barrister CONCERNED Horizon Could Be Tampered With
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC explains he was CONCERNED that Horizon Data Could Be Tampered With and is shown a note sharing similar concerns from Stephen Dilley, his instructing solicitor at the time.
The Lee Castleton case was pursued with the intention of avoiding Horizon data if at all necessary - was this due to concerns over the integrity of Horizon or due to other reasons?
Richard Morgan KC explains that the lack of error notices produced means that the paper documentation and Horizon input is likely to match and equates this to accurate output being produced. But did the bugs, errors and defects now known to be in Horizon mean this was the case?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive #StephenDilly
161
Post Office Barrister Compares Case to 'Second Hand Car'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC Compares Post Office Case against Lee Castleton to a 'Second Hand Car' as he testifies to the Post Office Inquiry.
He tells Jason Beer KC that had he known about unaudited and unauditable remote access by Fujitsu to Horizon that he 'thinks' he would have been uncomfortable acting in the face of such adverse information for their case.
He says he would have 'kicked the tyres more' to ensure that he was comfortable with the case he was brining forward on behalf of the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
162
Post Office Barrister Notified that Horizon is 'LOSING Transactions'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC is Notified that Horizon is 'LOSING Transactions' by his instructing solicitor Stephen Dilley at Bond Pearce in evidence shown to the Post Office Inquiry.
Richard Morgan KC previously asks a pertinent question to the Post Office recorded in an attendance note of a telephone conversation where he asks if there have been any other Horizon cases brought where the subpostmaster has questioned to operation of Horizon. This is another question that he doesn't recall getting an answer to and indeed no answer is ever logged.
Despite this, and saying he wanted to be aware so he could perform 'risk management' on Lee Castleton's case he proceeds without an answer and the Post Office doesn't make him aware of any specific issues with Horizon.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
163
Post Office - Falkirk Horizon Issues were a 'bolt from the blue'
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DPS Computing
Post Office's Mandy Talbot tells Richard Morgan KC that Falkirk Horizon Issues confirmed on the opening day of Lee Castleton's trial were a 'bolt from a blue' in an attendance note of a telephone conversation presented at the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
Richard Morgan KC wants to establish if anyone else has had issues with Horizon and Lee Castleton is attempting to have admitted to evidence the testimony of other subpostmasters that are facing similar issues to himself at their branches with the Fujitsu Horizon computer system.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
164
Post Office Claims They 'Succeeded' In Case DESPITE Horizon
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DPS Computing
Post Office Claims They 'Succeeded' In Case DESPITE Horizon Issues as evidence is shown by Jason Beer KC to the Post Office Inquiry.
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC admits that whilst Horizon issues could have potentially been a factor in the case, he says that they weren't due to the fact that the pleaded defence - whilst clearly including Horizon - stated that the case could also be proven based on the records of transactions, cash and stock which Richard Morgan KC refers to as primary documents.
It is noted that some of these primary documents may have originated from the Fujitsu Horizon computer system.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
165
Post Office Barrister Casts DOUBT on Court Transcript
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC Casts DOUBT on Court Transcript presented by Jason Beer KC at the Post Office Inquiry.
Richard Morgan KC questions who created the transcript, prior to agreeing to review it, saying he would like to know who the author is. He's informed that Lee Castleton's solicitors have obtained the original recording and transcribed it and he says that he normally trusts 'authorised transcribers' but nethertheless agrees to look at it with Jason Beer KC.
The opening statements show that Richard Morgan KC said he offered his assistance by offering to open the case for Lee Castleton.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
166
Post Office Barrister Describes Castleton Case as MADNESS!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC says that he told the Post Office their case against Lee Castleton was 'commercial MADNESS' as he testifies at the Post Office Inquiry.
Richard Morgan KC says he advised the Post Office that the amount they were seeking was small and that costs would far and away outstrip them so it made no sense to pursue the case and instead they should seek to settle.
He testifies that the Post Office instructed him to continue the case against Lee Castleton regardless of his advice so he continued to act for the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
167
Post Office Regarded Castleton Case as a 'Test Case'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Regarded Lee Castleton's Case as a 'test case' according to an attendance note of a meeting between Mandy Talbot and Richard Morgan KC shown in evidence at the Post Office Inquiry.
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC firmly disagrees with this characterisation saying that in his experience only government departments instructed test cases and they asked for specific legal arguments to be won in court to enable other cases to use similar proven arguments.
Despite this he does not seem to reply or challenge Mandy Talbot's assertion that Lee Castleton's case appears to be becoming a 'test case' for the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
168
Post Office INSISTS Horizon be VINDICATED as Part of Settlement
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DPS Computing
Post Office INSISTS Horizon be VINDICATED by subpostmaster as Part of Pre-Trial Settlement proposed on behalf of the Post Office in a case led by Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC against Lee Castleton at Marine Drive.
Whilst Richard Morgan KC insists that the motivation for the Post Office was recovery of sums owed, evidence presented at the Post Office Inquiry through meetings and emails suggests that the Post Office, and in particular Mandy Talbot, made clear on different occasions that they wanted to pursue the case to vindicate the Horizon system, prove its integrity and dissuade subpostmasters from pursing further claims against the Post Office.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
169
Post Office Barrister Helps Derive 'MAXIMUM Advantage'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC Helps the Post Office Derive 'MAXIMUM Advantage' from the judgement against Lee Castleton in evidence shown to the Post Office Inquiry.
In line with the Post Office's previously stated aims, Richard Morgan KC advises how they can use the judgement to set a 'Castleton precedent' that could be referred to in future cases against subpostmasters and significantly reduce the costs involved in recovering money from them for losses alleged by the Fujitsu Horizon system.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
170
Post Office Barrister CAUGHT OUT By Court Transcripts!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC appears to be CAUGHT OUT By Court Transcripts from Lee Castleton's trial shown in evidence at the Post Office Inquiry by Jason Beer KC.
Richard Morgan has told the Post Office Inquiry that Lee Castleton didn't raise any issues with the figures and signed off documents as true and accurate but is then shown statements by Lee Castleton during the opening where he tells the judge he did indeed question the figures at rang the Post Office helpline who assured him they would look into the losses.
Further evidence is shown from the cross examination of Lee Castleton by Richard Morgan KC where he again questions the integrity of the Horizon computer system as well as the accuracy of the figures produced and explains he followed the procedures set out by informing the helpline REPEATEDLY of the discrepancies being produced.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
171
Post Office Barrister 'DAYDREAMED' about Paula Vennells?!
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC tells the Post Office Inquiry that he may have DAYDREAMED about a meeting with Paula Vennells, the former Post Office Chief Executive and pieced together the memory from seeing her on TV at the time when explaining part of his statement to Sam Stein, representing many subpostmasters as Core Participants.
He also says that he considered Gareth Jenkins evidence as 'opinion evidence' rather than expert evidence and needed an independent expert to include what he was saying in their own statement despite Gareth Jenkins holding the official title of 'Distinguished Engineer' at Fujitsu and being a lead architect of the Horizon system.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #SamStein #CoreParticipants
172
Post Office Cases FATALLY Undermined and BIASED
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DPS Computing
Post Office Cases against subpostmasters were 'FATALLY Undermined' and 'BIASED' in the words of Core Participants as they question Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC at the Post Office Inquiry.
Firstly, the advice from a fellow barrister made in 2013 is put to Richard Morgan that says Fujitsu's Gareth Jenkins credibility as a witness is fatally undermined and that he should not be asked to produce any more witness statements nor have any further involvement in ongoing trials.
Despite previous assurances from Richard Morgan KC that he couldn't envisage falsehoods being included in signed documents, he concedes that witness statements are sometimes 'fluffed'.
It is then put to him that he showed bias in the case of Lee Castleton by ignoring the fact that he repeatedly raised concerns around the Horizon system and its integrity at trial and that it is indeed mentioned in the judgement against him.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
173
Post Office Worried DISCLOSURE Would 'Overwhelm Defendant'
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DPS Computing
Post Office Solicitor Stephen Dilley was Worried DISCLOSURE of vital Horizon Helpdesk evidence, potentially supporting the defence of Lee Castleton, would 'Overwhelm Defendant' and decided against disclosing this to him during his trial over wellbeing concerns.
Such evidence available at the time included that the Horizon Helpdesk was getting between 12,000 and 15,000 calls per month from subpostmasters with issues and the solicitor decided to neither disclose the volume or the content of these calls.
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC insists that he wasn't involved, nor instructed, on disclosure issues in the case of Lee Castleton.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #PostOfficeSolicitor #RichardMorganKC #StephenDilley #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
174
Post Office Barrister REFUSES to Admit Miscarriage of Justice
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister REFUSES to Admit a Miscarriage of Justice occurred during the case of Lee Castleton despite overwhelming evidence presented to the Post Office Inquiry as he is questioned by Core Participants.
Three times he is asked if there was a 'miserable' or 'desperate' miscarriage of justice and he places the responsibility back onto Lee Castleton for allegedly not saying certain things at trial and the solicitors who formally acted on his behalf.
He also distances himself from the disclosure decisions of his former instructing solicitor Stephen Dilley when it is put to him that disclosure in the case of Lee Castleton was a 'dismal failure'.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #StephenDilley #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive #CoreParticipants
175
Post Office Agreement an UNENFORCEABLE Waste of Space
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DPS Computing
Post Office Barrister Richard Morgan KC describes the Post Office's proposed settlement agreement - or Tomlin order - for Lee Castleton as an UNEFORCEABLE Waste of Space when he is questioned about it by Jason Beer KC at the Post Office Inquiry.
He regarded that clients normally 'ask for the moon' in such settlements 'when they have no need for it'.
One clause of the settlement agreement proposed for Lee Castleton was that he could not criticise the Horizon system and that if he did so he would be agreeing to submit to a Post Office Injunction preventing him from doing it again and paying them 'approximate' damages of £25,000.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeLegal #PostOfficeBarrister #RichardMorganKC #LeeCastleton #MarineDrive
Fujitsu Manager UNAWARE Horizon was LOSING Transactions
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu Manager Peter Sewell tells the Post Office Inquiry that he was UNAWARE that Horizon was LOSING transactions and that it was subsequently creating shortfalls at Post Office branches despite recalling in the same period that he was aware that prosecutions had been suspended by the Post Office whilst the issue was investigated.
Fujitsu noted in the KEL (Known Error Log) that at least 3 PEAKs (incidents) had been reported at different branches resulting in 'lost' transactions resulting in identical shortfalls at branches to the transactions lost.
In an email exchange, it is acknowledged that the issue is occurring and sugests that subpostmasters are likely not aware of such 'silent errors' occurring within the Horizon system.
Fujitsu noted at the time that they didn't plan to fix this bug in Horizon as it was 'relatively rare'
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #Fujitsu #Horizon #FujitsuHorizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
177
Fujitsu HALT Post Office Data Requests Amid Horizon Concerns
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu HALT Post Office Data Requests Amid Horizon Concerns in evidence shown to the Post Office Inquiry and discussed with former Security Operations Manager at Fujitsu Peter Sewell.
Peter Sewell says that he remembers the incident being discussed and the meetings attended and says that the issues raised with 'lost' transactions in Horizon did concern him and that is why they took the decision to halt ARQ requests from the Post Office and pause writing witness statements whilst it was investigated in 2008.
So what was the resolution that enabled them to restart the requests and witness statements?
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #FujitsuHorizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
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178
Fujitsu Conclude Insufficient Evidence for Horizon Investigation
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu Conclude there is Insufficient Evidence for a full Horizon Investigation in evidence shown to the Post Office Inquiry.
Despite previously halting ARQ requests and witness statements provided to the Post Office in light of issues raised at branches where Horizon transactions are being 'lost', following a meeting there is a conclusion that there is insufficient evidence for a full investigation into the Horizon audit process and instead suggests some follow up actions including reviewing the wording of witness statements.
Peter Sewell, in charge of the team providing evidence to the Post Office, provides his recollections of the actions prior to and following this decision.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #FujitsuHorizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
179
No One at Fujitsu wants Responsibility for Horizon Error Checks
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DPS Computing
No One at Fujitsu wants Responsibility for Horizon Error Checks evidence to the Post Office Inquiry shows.
Fujitsu Manager Peter Sewell is asked about the actions he is assigned to ensure that event logs are checked for errors to ensure the accuracy of ARQ data but when this drops off the radar and he is reminded he isn't sure his team is the correct one for the job. Gareth Jenkins, who it appears previously handled the checks, says that he needs it to be passed off to the SSC and it appears whilst the eventually agree to do an 'informal favour' no one at Fujitsu wants to take formal responsibility following the discovery of a potentially major issue with the Horizon system used at Post Office branches.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #FujitsuHorizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
180
Fujitsu confirm Horizon Audit Process was Prone to Error
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu confirm that the Horizon Audit Process was 'Prone to Error' in an internal change request document presented as evidence at the Post Office Inquiry.
Despite it being a change request for the Post Office's Horizon system, Fujitsu Manager Peter Sewell says that it is an internal Fujitsu document that he doesn't believe should be shared with the Post Office.
The change request highlights the ongoing issue with the Horizon audit process and this also seems to be a weakness in the proposed Horizon Online system for which a change request is raised.
When asked why the issue would not be addressed in legacy Horizon, Peter Sewell identifies costs and a lack of available resource for such a change.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #FujitsuHorizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
181
Fujitsu 'Watered Down' Document to REMOVE Horizon Criticism
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu 'Watered Down' an important Change Request Document to REMOVE Horizon Criticism as evidence to the Post Office Inquiry shows.
The change request in either terms of the workaround process and the proposed change are substantively the same but references to the 'error prone' tactical workaround process and the need to 'water down' witness statements due to the audit vulnerabilities in Horizon are removed.
Fujitsu Manager Peter Sewell is pointedly asked 'what is the point in your job?' as he claims that the extent of his involvement as a manager, and a specific 'change owner', in this request was to 'listen to people'.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #FujitsuHorizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
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182
Fujitsu Manager had NO Concerns over INACCURATE Witness Statements
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu Manager Peter Sewell had NO Concerns over INACCURATE Witness Statements being provided to the Post Office for use in court cases he tells the Post Office Inquiry.
A series of meetings are had relating to the inaccuracy of Horizon audit data and a proposed fix for Horizon Online which was currently in development and whilst Peter Sewell is named as a required attendee he says the statements from the meeting minutes about the inaccuracy of prior Horizon audit data provided as part of the Audit Record Query (ARQ) process to the Post Office and the inaccuracy of witness statements didn't concern him at the time despite being in charge of the team at Fujitsu providing the witness statements.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #FujitsuHorizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
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comments
183
Fujitsu Manager Told About CATASTROPHIC Audit Weaknesses
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu Manager Peter Sewell is told AGAIN about CATASTROPHIC Audit Weaknesses by a member of his team, Penny Thomas, and is asked questions by Counsel to the Post Office Inquiry.
He says that he has no recollection of these events so is instead asked questions about what he feels now and has to be pressed multiple times to say what he think should have happened in the face of such weaknesses and whether these critical problems in Horizon should have been raised at higher levels to which he appears to reluctantly agree.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #FujitsuHorizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
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184
Fujitsu Determine Own Witness Statements to be Inaccurate
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu Determine Own Witness Statements produced for the Post Office court cases to be Inaccurate and major concerns are again raised in a presentation which highlights further inadequacies of both the Horizon audit system as well as the tactical workaround process to try to eliminate some of the inadequacies.
The most damning revelation is the admission that past and current witness statements are inaccurate in that they are guaranteeing completeness and accuracy and this is now concluded internally within Fujitsu to not be the case.
Peter Sewell tells the Post Office Inquiry that he cannot remember being very concerned about it at the time.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Horizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
185
Fujitsu DOWNPLAY Horizon Audit Concerns to Post Office
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DPS Computing
Fujitsu DOWNPLAY grave Horizon Audit and Integrity Concerns to the Post Office over a year after first discovering the issue.
Evidence shown to the Post Office Inquiry shows that internal emails and presentations appear to be becoming more concerned and strongly worded as time goes on but the communication to the Post Office highlights that a review of 2007/08 data is required following identification of a single issue and a single branch at the end of 2007 which results in an erroneous shortfall in the Horizon system.
They are also assured that a fix for this issue was deployed approximately a year after it was discovered in November 2008.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Horizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
186
Did Post Office Investigator Sign Off INCORRECT Statements?
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DPS Computing
Did Post Office Investigator Stephen Bradshaw regularly Sign Off INCORRECT Statements that he hadn't written? He's asked questions about his witness statements and their usage at the Post Office Inquiry.
He describes the practice of witness statements and also highlights how they were inconsistent with his views on how witness statements should be sought and produced as an investigation manager. He questioned by Counsel to the Post Office Inquiry about the concerns, if any, he raised at the time about the witness statements process was and what the response from the Post Office was.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Horizon #PostOfficeInvestigator #PostOfficeInvestigation #StephenBradshaw
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187
Post Office Investigator Points Finger at Senior Management
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Stephen Bradshaw Points the Finger of blame at Senior Management at both the Post Office and Fujitsu for non-disclosure of Horizon bugs in his opening evidence to the Post Office Inquiry.
Stephen Bradshaw outlines his 45 year ongoing career at the Post Office including the last 24 years in the Security Team as an investigation manager at the Post Office and has involvement in a large number of the case studies being looked at by the Post Office Inquiry.
Stephen Bradshaw has legal representation at the Post Office Inquiry and receives the self-incrimination warning from Post Office Inquiry chair Sir Wyn ahead of giving his testimony.
He says investigations were ran professionally at all times, he has no other recollections on them and he wasn't made aware of any issues with the Horizon system.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #PostOfficeInvestigator #PostOfficeInvestigation #StephenBradshaw
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188
Post Office Investigator BACKTRACKS on Witness Statement
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator Stephen Bradshaw switfly BACKTRACKS on his Witness Statement to the Post Office Inquiry where he states that he wasn't aware of any issues with Horizon. Furthermore, in his initial testimony he says that he never had issues communicated to him about the Horizon system from either Post Office or Fujitsu.
Within minutes he appears to backtrack on these statements when he's shown evidence of 'his equals' sending him emails in 2010 relating to journalists reporting of Horizon issues and communications he is involved with between the Post Office and Fujitsu discussing a rise in cases citing Horizon issues.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Horizon #PostOfficeInvestigator #PostOfficeInvestigation #StephenBradshaw
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189
Post Office Investigator DENIES Criminal Case Witness Statement
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DPS Computing
Post Office Investigator DENIES the Criminal Case Witness Statement submitted by the Post Office in the prosecution of a subpostmaster in 2013 telling the Post Office Inquiry that it was written for him by legal firm Cartwright King.
In another damning revelation he says 'very similar' statements were provided by Cartwright King to other members of security team to put their name to and sign espousing the integrity and robustness of the Horizon system and saying that they weren't aware of any issues with the operation of the Horizon system and, whilst they would co-operate with a review of the system, they wanted to make clear this was not an admission of any issues with the Fujitsu Horizon system.
Stephen Bradshaw confirms to us that he didn't have the pre-requisite technical knowledge to make such judgements and was instructed to include these lines in his witness statement.
He opines that on reflection at the Post Office Inquiry he would now include a line in the statement that these were not his own words and may likely not agree to provide such a witness statement at all now.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Horizon #PostOfficeInvestigator #PostOfficeInvestigation #StephenBradshaw
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190
Did Post Office Investigator Sign Off INCORRECT Statements?
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DPS Computing
Did Post Office Investigator Stephen Bradshaw regularly Sign Off INCORRECT Statements that he hadn't written? He's asked questions about his witness statements and their usage at the Post Office Inquiry.
He describes the practice of witness statements and also highlights how they were inconsistent with his views on how witness statements should be sought and produced as an investigation manager. He questioned by Counsel to the Post Office Inquiry about the concerns, if any, he raised at the time about the witness statements process was and what the response from the Post Office was.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #Horizon #PostOfficeInvestigator #PostOfficeInvestigation #StephenBradshaw
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comments
191
Why Is The Post Office Inquiry Taking So Long?
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DPS Computing
Why Is The Post Office Inquiry Taking So Long? This is the question we look at today including reference to Sir Wyn Williams, Chair of the Post Office Inquiry, comments about issues with disclosure and why breaks between phases of the inquiry are necessary.
We discuss both of these often asked community questions in a slightly different kind of video seeking to address your questions about the Post Office Inquiry.
We delve into the reasons why the breaks are necessary for the Post Office Inquiry to call witnesses and seek disclosure over which there has been longstanding issues as well as the necessary preparations involved in getting witness statements and arranging appearances at the Inquiry.
Phases 5 & 6 of the Post Office Inquiry begin on April 9th 2024.
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #PostOffice #Fujitsu #SirWyn #SirWynWillams #PostOfficeInquiryChair
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Fujitsu Manager UNAWARE Horizon was LOSING Transactions
8 months ago
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Fujitsu Manager Peter Sewell tells the Post Office Inquiry that he was UNAWARE that Horizon was LOSING transactions and that it was subsequently creating shortfalls at Post Office branches despite recalling in the same period that he was aware that prosecutions had been suspended by the Post Office whilst the issue was investigated.
Fujitsu noted in the KEL (Known Error Log) that at least 3 PEAKs (incidents) had been reported at different branches resulting in 'lost' transactions resulting in identical shortfalls at branches to the transactions lost.
In an email exchange, it is acknowledged that the issue is occurring and sugests that subpostmasters are likely not aware of such 'silent errors' occurring within the Horizon system.
Fujitsu noted at the time that they didn't plan to fix this bug in Horizon as it was 'relatively rare'
#PostOfficeInquiry #PostOfficeScandal #Fujitsu #Horizon #FujitsuHorizon #FujitsuManager #PeterSewell
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