Will Paula Venells ever be held accountable?

[TKH]

Venells CBE (for charity & Post Office work) will be at home a not give a flying %£#@ leisurely taking a glance at her bank balance and pension draw down and ‘meh’ shall we take a few weeks in the sun till it blows over….. fingers in ears lalalala and possibly end up in Jungle next year on a big wedge £££.

They are a breed with a core of cold steel zero empathy for anyone and capable of heinous stuff whilst convincing themselves of their own reality they are always either the hero or the victim in their storyline.

The fact she was an Anglican Priest sat on the C of E Ethics Board, became a Chairwoman of NHS Trust and got a CBE from May after the Scandal says as much about our hidden handshake society as it does about Venells.

[TaketheCannoli]

This 100% and there are so many more like her. Self-interest is always the prime target.

Venells CBE (for charity & Post Office work) will be at home a not give a flying %£#@ leisurely taking a glance at her bank balance and pension draw down and ‘meh’ shall we take a few weeks in the sun till it blows over….. fingers in ears lalalala and possibly end up in Jungle next year on a big wedge £££.

They are a breed with a core of cold steel zero empathy for anyone and capable of heinous stuff whilst convincing themselves of their own reality they are always either the hero or the victim in their storyline.

The fact she was an Anglican Priest sat on the C of E Ethics Board, became a Chairwoman of NHS Trust and got a CBE from May after the Scandal says as much about our hidden handshake society as it does about Venells.

[Griswold]

Prosecutions really should happen over this. Start from the bottom. Clearly the support/help desk people knew that these problems were happening to multiple people yet they persisted in telling each sub postmaster that they were the 'only one' this was happening to. They didn't make this up themselves so, being told to do this, and doing it knowingly, must make them guilty of attempting to alter/pervert the course of justice at the very least. Next should be whoever gave them the instruction to say that, (can't see people at that level accepting being the fall guy/girl, they'll talk), and so on up the chain.

Follow the chain!

[Passenger]

Prosecutions really should happen over this. Start from the bottom. Clearly the support/help desk people knew that these problems were happening to multiple people yet they persisted in telling each sub postmaster that they were the 'only one' this was happening to. They didn't make this up themselves so, being told to do this, and doing it knowingly, must make them guilty of attempting to alter/pervert the course of justice at the very least. Next should be whoever gave them the instruction to say that, (can't see people at that level accepting being the fall guy/girl, they'll talk), and so on up the chain.

Follow the chain!

Is Plod on it? I´m not really following the case...but surely the without fear or favour stipulations- aspirations apply...?

[adrianw]

120,000 have signed so far, not sure this will blow over

[blackal]

[AndyMilts]

Fujitsu should not be getting any more contracts either, as they were the facilitator of many of the problems. Having been involved with the implementation of many large IT projects their testing and production processes are extremely poor. To then compound this problem by making system changes and adjustments to cover up bugs and glitches was staggering. Without then supporting the users, they must have lied to the PO and the fact Venables was unsure on the remote access and changes in flight taking place is staggering. There are people lower down in the po who must have know this. It’s seams a massive cover up took place, who knew what is difficult to prove but there certainly should prosecutions from this as it ruined innocent people’s lives!

[adrianw]

I would like to think that Fujitsu and post office staff would come forward just to cover their own arses if a criminal investigation happens

[jon8oy]

Apologies if this has been shared before but this is a pretty good rundown of the despicable characters involved and how they've all lined their own pockets since.

https://x.com/flaminhaystacks/status...511528261?s=20

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[blackal]

[Passenger]

A mate's wife certainly used to do something somewhat snr within the legal aid games infrastructure...can't recall her precise wording but it was pretty much regular folks should forget any chance of getting it.

[bwest76]

This is a bit hard to watch.

When people say someone is broken it sounds a bit like a cliche.


This woman is broken, it broke my heart watching, its what she doesnt say that gets to you.

The look on her face the eyes.

Th PO even sent their own doctors into hospital to examine her when she was suffering.



No amount of money will compensate her or bring her back to what she was.

The people responsible should be jailed for GBH as much as anything.

[PickleB]

No 10 says Sunak would ‘strongly support’ review:

...Downing Street has hinted that it would like the honours forfeiture committee to remove the CBE awarded to Paula Vennells, the former Post Office boss.

Normally, when asked about the prospect of someone being stripped of an honour, No 10 just says it is a matter for this committee, which operates in a relatively secretive manner.

But today No 10 said Rishi Sunak would “strongly support” the committee if it decided to look at revoking Vennells’ CBE in the wake of the Horizon scandal...

[PickleB]

Rishi Sunak..."Obviously it's something that happened a very long time ago in the nineties".

See also Lee Castleton.

No 10 says Sunak would ‘strongly support’ review:

...Downing Street has hinted that it would like the honours forfeiture committee to remove the CBE awarded to Paula Vennells, the former Post Office boss.

Normally, when asked about the prospect of someone being stripped of an honour, No 10 just says it is a matter for this committee, which operates in a relatively secretive manner.

But today No 10 said Rishi Sunak would “strongly support” the committee if it decided to look at revoking Vennells’ CBE in the wake of the Horizon scandal...

So the PM seems to have jumped on the bandwagon, but see:

[earlofsodbury]

No 10 says Sunak would ‘strongly support’ review:

I rather suspect that they're preparing to throw Vennells to the lions (rightly) in the hope and expectation it'll satiate the torch-wielding mob - and thus get other senior people in the PO and Fujitsu, and most especially the culpable politicians (like Ed "Nothing To See Here" Davey for example), off the hook.

Let's not forget that it's taken a high profile docudrama and a million-signature petition to get these bastards to do anything at-all!

[deepreddave]

I always struggle with how to determine the level of financial compensation when no amount of money can give the victims back their lost years, health etc but it needs to be substantial and the culpable individuals need to be identified, whether in the PO, Fujitsu or Govt, and prosecuted if appropriate to see justice served and to act as a deterrent to others.

As an aside, if a million signatories result in Vennells honour being withdrawn then I look forward to similar petitions about the countless cronies (and half sisters etc!) given gongs in recent years

[KavKav]

I look forward to the vile cow being dragged into the dock in handcuffs!

[Templogin]

I look forward to the vile cow being dragged into the dock in handcuffs!

I saw the relinquishing of the CBE to be a starting point. I would be happy to see her financially ruined too, but sadly that isn't going to happen. I feel sure that the loss of the CBE will be said to be sufficient punishment.

[blackal]

I saw the relinquishing of the CBE to be a starting point. I would be happy to see her financially ruined too, but sadly that isn't going to happen. I feel sure that the loss of the CBE will be said to be sufficient punishment.

I feel that the most damage will be done - if nothing is done about her CBE, until she is dragged into court. Don't give any committees any chance to wipe their hands of her in the run up to any prosecution...................

Let them continue to fly with the crows...........

[bwest76]

Now at 1,157,500

[Papa Hotel]

Finally, Will Mellor breaks his silence.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-eng...ester-67916492

Now I just need Sheridan Smith to talk about flood defences.

[bwest76]

I am posting this again go to 5.30m and look at this womans face and demeanour.

It will move you.

[walkerwek1958]

I haven't followed this closely, other than being aware of the scandal and the basic facts when news first broke a few years ago.

I don`t know what the incidence of fraud amongst sub postmasters was prior to the implementation of the Fujitsu software, but it's a fair assumption that it was very low and following the software change the rate increased markedly. What troubles me is the reaction and inferences drawn by senior management at the Post Office when this happened, did they assume that fraud had been rife and was now being detected frequently? Surely someone should have challenged the statistics and questioned whether the increase really was valid, to me it seems logical to question the validity of the data in a situation like this, especially when this data is used as evidence to bring a prosecution?

Despite what appears to be serious shortcomings I doubt whether there's a mechanism for holding anyone to account over this even though their actions were negligent. Could a class action be brought to sue individuals?........I`ve no idea, my understanding of the law is limited to say the least.

Paula Venels handing her gong back makes no difference to anything, the damage has been done and the clock can`t be turned back. Hopefully the folks affected will get compensation without further delay, this should've happened already.

[theancientmariner]

Paula Venels handing her gong back makes no difference to anything, the damage has been done and the clock can`t be turned back. Hopefully the folks affected will get compensation without further delay, this should've happened already.

I couldn't agree with this comment more. In this day and age, who really cares about an OBE/MBE/CBE anyway, they're passed around like Christmas crackers. I always thought that they were supposed to be for little known members of the public who had gone above and beyond in their contribution to this country. I digress.

Paula Vennells and her will she/won't she/should she give back her CBE is a distraction and nothing more. What the Post Office management - and I reiterate - management did, in whole or part, is a disgrace. On the face of it, I don't see the software being the culprit, it's another elephant in the room. It didn't work, software often doesn't. What happened afterward is where the problem lies. I'm going to take a complete guess and say that a stupidly expensive software system was installed and didn't work. Another guess - those who created the software and managed it didn't have a clue what was causing the problem. Another guess - it's installed now, it can't be withdrawn, they don't have any other avenues of approach. Try and hide the problems and if anyone attempts to whistleblow, destroy their credibility. This isn't new, look through the news of the last few decades and you'll see similar examples, even films and documentaries made.

What should happen now is that both sides of the House of Commons should step in and sort it out. It still seems to me as though a lot of MP's are still tip toeing around it which makes me wonder - how many of them knew about it on a grander scale than they're claiming. Some of the MP's have been extremely pro-active but before the dramatisation, how many of us really knew about it? Another question - why have the media been so quiet about it before the tv drama, it's a huge story but again, how many of us had read or heard much about it through media channels?

[bparker170]

This guy has a lot of questions to answer too…another corporate rotter…

https://amp.theguardian.com/media/20...oyal-mail-boss

No one was ever bought to task yet about Northern Rock, RBS, Grenfell or Carillion yet either. I was under the impression that you had legal responsibilities as a company director that enabled you to face sanction if you failed in these responsibilities?


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[BillyCasper]

The mendacity of human beings is breathtaking.

Mr I Do Not Recall, the manager responsible for reviewing Fujitsu’s expert witness statements used in prosecutions, not being able to recall ever having reviewed a witness statement.

The inquiry’s lawyer’s coup de grace was piercing. Mr I Do Not Recall will be wetting his bed tonight.

The gist:

Fujitsu had templates for witness statements used in prosecutions
The staff filled in the blanks: dates and counts of flaws reported
The statements included false statements which they doubted the integrity of, that the computer was working and any flaws reported did not effect the system’s data

He can’t remember though.

That’s perjury?

Fujitsu should give each of the 900 a minimum of £100,000 tomorrow, no questions, no conditions, no links to any other compensation schemes or future actions, just to provide some immediate succour.


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[Jubal]

The mendacity of human beings is breathtaking.

Mr I Do Not Recall, the manager responsible for reviewing Fujitsu’s expert witness statements used in prosecutions, not being able to recall ever having reviewed a witness statement.

The inquiry’s lawyer’s coup de grace was piercing. Mr I Do Not Recall will be wetting his bed tonight.

The gist:

Fujitsu had templates for witness statements used in prosecutions
The staff filled in the blanks: dates and counts of flaws reported
The statements included false statements which they doubted the integrity of, that the computer was working and any flaws reported did not effect the system’s data

He can’t remember though.

That’s perjury?

Fujitsu should give each of the 900 a minimum of £100,000 tomorrow, no questions, no conditions, no links to any other compensation schemes or future actions, just to provide some immediate succour.


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Shocking isn’t it. Cowardly personal defence mechanism.

[jon8oy]

Watched the first two episodes of the ITV dramatisation last night with the wife. Despite having listened to Nick Read podcast series and read up on the case a few years ago, I was still left in a blind rage at the depiction of these poor people. Seeing the programme I can now understand why after all these years there is suddenly a push to get answers, to establish accountability, and to exact punishment.

I know it's a cliché but I genuinely can't fathom how some of these people at the Post Office and Fujitsu slept at night knowing what they were doing.

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[ralphy]

The final item, showing the PO's moral compass spinning like a catherine wheel.

R

[BillyCasper]

If you have the time, patience and can contain your anger, Peter Sewell's (ex-Fujitsu) testimony yesterday at the inquiry is astonishing.

The inquiry's and victims’ lawyers were consummate professionals, but I believe they made their contempt clear at the end.

It was newsworthy. Surprised it didn't feature.

[bwest76]

Condemned by their own words.

I love the calm,persistent demeanour of the lawyers.










I kept expecting him to go "good game,good game Anthea"

[PickleB]

If you have the time, patience and can contain your anger, Peter Sewell's (ex-Fujitsu) testimony yesterday at the inquiry is astonishing.

The inquiry's and victims’ lawyers were consummate professionals, but I believe they made their contempt clear at the end.

It was newsworthy. Surprised it didn't feature.

BBC link...www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-67941754...and click on the videos.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

This is a little 'awkward'....

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/202...-investigator/

[BillyCasper]

Too cosy?

Unearthed by Private Eye.



Hollinrake is now the minister responsible for the PO. Blagden a major party donor and appointed by Dorries to be chair of Building Digital UK. Frazer a minister. Jenkyns a whacko MP.


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[Passenger]

Too cosy?

Unearthed by Private Eye.



Hollinrake is now the minister responsible for the PO. Blagden a major party donor and appointed by Dorries to be chair of Building Digital UK. Frazer a minister. Jenkyns a whacko MP.


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Cosy, crony so, so similar.

[Templogin]

Too cosy?

Unearthed by Private Eye.



Hollinrake is now the minister responsible for the PO. Blagden a major party donor and appointed by Dorries to be chair of Building Digital UK. Frazer a minister. Jenkyns a whacko MP.

Is that Darth Vader 2nd from left - back row.

[estoban7]

Is that Darth Vader 2nd from left - back row.

Hopefully it's the grim reaper.

[BillyCasper]

Hopefully it's the grim reaper.

Come on, they (don't fear the reaper).....

BOC, 1976

[Templogin]

Hopefully it's the grim reaper.

I think that you are just trying to get my hopes up.

[PickleB]

BBC iPlayer...Scotland's Post Office Scandal.

[KavKav]

Is that Darth Vader 2nd from left - back row.

It is probably that K West arsehole!

[BillyCasper]

These people ooze slime.

Ex-Fujitsu boss 'shocked' by Post Office's actions https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68253136

Fujitsu boss during period of rampant prosecuting by the PO: I know nothing


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[blackal]

Oh dear! A scandal that has recently gripped the nation, takes a turn for the worse for the tories.....................

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...sation-payouts


Former Post Office chair says he was told to stall Horizon compensation payouts

Henry Staunton claims request was made so government could ‘limp into’ the next general election

[bwest76]

Mr. Singh,absolutely unbelivable.

Be careful your blood pressure may rise.

[BillyCasper]

Mr. Singh,absolutely unbelivable.

Be careful your blood pressure may rise.

I have watched Jarnail Singh’s two days of testimony at the PO inquiry.

Jarnail Singh must represent the low point for the PO.

Watch no other, but watch Jarnail Singh to understand the depths of absurdity, stupidity and dishonesty at the PO.

A senior criminal lawyer at the PO, whose experience and sideline appeared to be conveyancing. How is it possible that someone so thick can qualify as a lawyer and then get a job?

Tragic, but his testimony was also comedy from the start when the inquiry lawyer picked apart the misrepresentations on his CV.

Case against the PO could have closed as he uttered his last word.

I can’t conceive of the scale of contempt for him and fury of the victims.


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[PickleB]

Or, if you prefer to read a summary...see this link. At its conclusion it says:

One correspondent wrote:

“Mr Singh is clearly as mad as a three-cornered bat. The fact that he has held a senior position at the Post Office for most of his working life tells us something. If we didn’t know it already.”

Another said “Jaw dropping. Hard to tell where the stupidity ends and the malice begins.”

If you have ten hours to waste, I do suggest watching the two days Singh spent on the stand. And please do leave a comment below. I’d be interested to know how you reacted.

But, for an example of Mr Singh's testimony and its lack of content, I'd suggest listening to the YouTube video linked in bwest76's post above from 40m 30s to 43m or longer.

[Passenger]

Oh dear! A scandal that has recently gripped the nation, takes a turn for the worse for the tories.....................

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...sation-payouts


Former Post Office chair says he was told to stall Horizon compensation payouts

Henry Staunton claims request was made so government could ‘limp into’ the next general election

Beautifully illustrates their venality, immorality and contempt for truth, decency and decent people....that's the Government that is...why are proud, indomitable Brits who believe in fair play, justice not stringing these scum up from lampposts, it's the only action that'll make them change their ways...

[Suds]

Forfeited honours - two immediately striking features from the list. First, the number of convicted criminals and second, does anyone know any of these people other than Vennels?

[Griswold]

Forfeited honours - two immediately striking features from the list. First, the number of convicted criminals and second, does anyone know any of these people other than Vennels?

Dario Gradi was a footballer who became manager of Crew Alexandra. He was there in some capacity for 36 years. He was initially disbarred by the FA for not taking action against the manager at the time Barry Bennell who is now in prison for sexual offences at the club.

[jools]

Forfeited honours - two immediately striking features from the list. First, the number of convicted criminals and second, does anyone know any of these people other than Vennels?

I think Thomas Hogg was in the DUP.