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Original poster

Paula Vennels being questioned at the Post Office Inquiry, followed by others - thread 2

961 replies

nauticant · 24/05/2024 09:29

A continuation of the discussion started by@Sausagenbaconhere:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5080262-to-enjoy-hearing-paula-vennels-being-taken-apart

Paula Vennells' 3 days of evidence ends today but there are more hearings coming up and we can discuss those too.

When the hearings are going on, live-streaming can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/@postofficehorizonitinquiry947/featured

All of the previous hearings can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/@postofficehorizonitinquiry947/videos

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
littlbrowndog · 24/05/2024 12:41

Lee Castleton below

Lee bought a post office in Bridlington in 2003. But within a year huge discrepancies were appearing in his branch accounts.
He suspected the Horizon computer system was to blame and called the helpline 91 times pleading for help.
By March 2004 the unexplained losses had hit £25,000. He was suspended after an audit that same month and ordered to repay the money. He refused.
He was eventually taken to the High Court by the Post Office where he had to represent himself. When he lost his case, the Post Office pursued him for legal costs of £321,000 which bankrupted him.
"It changed our lives completely. It was absolutely terrible and devastating," he said.

Quirkyme · 24/05/2024 12:40

nauticant · 24/05/2024 12:39

This break is rather longer than 10 minutes.

It always is haha. I was gonna check back in 5

Newbutoldfather · 24/05/2024 12:40

@Lunde ,

They should at last pose the question about whether, knowing all that went on under her watch and with all her ‘regrets’, she feels comfortable retaining the £4.5 mio she was paid during her employment there.

Original poster
nauticant · 24/05/2024 12:39

This break is rather longer than 10 minutes.

OP posts:
Lunde · 24/05/2024 12:37

The PO seem very keen to claw back perceived "overpayments" to SPMs - perhaps they should start with PV's bonuses and salary as the success/failure of the PO was not due to anything she did as she knew nothing about anything ....

dragonbreaths · 24/05/2024 12:33

PV is absolutely repugnant. So interesting watching the questioners at work.

Original poster
nauticant · 24/05/2024 12:32

This is interesting about the core participants:

All of the individuals below (and those 9 Core Participants granted anonymity, and one additional Core Participant captured by the terms of the Restriction Order dated 3 February 2022 as varied 15 June 2022) have been found to be eligible for an award under section 40(1)(b) of the Inquiries Act 2005 for expenses incurred in respect of legal representation, as per the Notice of Determination by the Minister for London and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets) under Section 40(4).

Without that you'd be looking at ruined subpostmasters facing hiring KC's for several thousand hours at, maybe, £600 an hour.

OP posts:
BigDahliaFan · 24/05/2024 12:31

Just playing catch up...it was a toxic culture.

Newbutoldfather · 24/05/2024 12:29

They should dig into her contract to see what she agreed to be responsible for.

I imagine it would include a lot of stuff that ‘she didn’t know about’ or that she claims was far too low level for a CEO to be directly involved in.

Original poster
nauticant · 24/05/2024 12:29

Here's a list of core participants, some of whom are asking Vennells questions today:

https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.org.uk/key-documents/named-core-participants-and-their-recognised-legal-representatives

Coming up now is National Federation of Subpostmasters. They're on a sticky wicket because they cooperated with Post Office in the lives of subpostmasters being ruined. They decided it suited their purposes to not believe the victims and in some cases spread stories around that they were trouble and best cast out.

I didn't properly catch who follows. Initially it was said "Sinclair" but now it's "Miss Singer". Maybe Miss Singer is representing Susan Sinclair who is a core participant and who was a very early victim in Scotland: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-66964774

OP posts:
littlbrowndog · 24/05/2024 12:29

Thanks. I missed what he said

murasaki · 24/05/2024 12:26

Quirkyme · 24/05/2024 12:24

Gonna make some bacon sandwiches in this break haha

Good shout! I'm still going to delay my pizza gratification until after the lunch break.

randomchap · 24/05/2024 12:26

EggcornAcorn · 24/05/2024 12:21

So many conversations easily recalled yet undocumented.

A great memory for things that make her look better, a terrible one for things that lay the blame at her feet

WatchOutMissMarpleIsAbout · 24/05/2024 12:25

She is a slippery fish. Will probably get away with it. But at a loss to her reputation and credibility. Question is - will she give a toss?

Original poster
nauticant · 24/05/2024 12:25

What time is lunch ?

5 minutes ago the Chair said there'd be a 10 minute break and then a 30 minute session before lunch.

OP posts:
Quirkyme · 24/05/2024 12:24

Gonna make some bacon sandwiches in this break haha

Lunde · 24/05/2024 12:24

She obviously knew about the litigation strategy as she admits discussing it with JM - couldn't she just have put a stop to it if she disagreed?

Her answers make her out to have been an underly passive passenger on the bus with no power to stop all of these people around her

littlbrowndog · 24/05/2024 12:22

What time is lunch ?

LuckysDadsHat · 24/05/2024 12:22

littlbrowndog · 24/05/2024 11:53

Mr young missing 😏

Hiding out so as not to incriminate himself. They are all cowardly wankers who just want to blame it anyone else but themselves.

littlbrowndog · 24/05/2024 12:22

Yes

murasaki · 24/05/2024 12:22

Quirkyme · 24/05/2024 12:21

Exactly.

Honestly, who does she think she's fooling

Show quote history

No one, but she has no shits to give.
She's retirement age-ish with a fat pension.and probably huge savings.

Quirkyme · 24/05/2024 12:22

Lunde · 24/05/2024 12:21

Now Jane McCleod is under the bus - a safe strategy knowing sh wont give evidence

Exactly.

Note how she said "I'm disappointed she can't give evidence."

She's cunning.

Original poster
nauticant · 24/05/2024 12:22

She regrets the group litigation because that was the thing that blew the whole scandal wide open.

OP posts:
minou123 · 24/05/2024 12:22

WayMeanWood · 24/05/2024 12:17

I understood this too - they believed the 'little people' were all thieves and dishonest so were pleased Horizon proved them right.

Show quote history

Yes, exactly!

You put it far more succinctly than I did 😁

Peregrina · 24/05/2024 12:21

Legal policies not her responsibility, it seems.

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