Work advice needed please

[barkinginessex]

Okay, so I know this is my fault but I really need some advice on how I can make things better and rescue my reputation at work.
I left my previous department in September and moved to a different office, my previous line managers were horrible bullies and made mine and the rest of my teams lives a misery.
After I left I received text messages from my former colleagues to say that one of the managers had gained access to email inbox and was going through all my sent and deleted items. She gained access on the pretence that id left loads of work incomplete (not true!) but decided to have a good snoop through all my sent items.
I fully admit that some of the emails between me and colleagues were bitchy about our managers but honestly they are so awful and it felt like the only coping strategy we had.
Two of my colleagues were spoken to about the emails but because my old manager had to reason to be looking through my emails no action was taken against anyone involved.
I just feel dreadful about it all. All of my colleagues and former line managers will soon be moving to my office and I'll have to face them everyday.
I don't know whether to apologise or just leave things?
I'm annoyed that they said I had incomplete work in my inbox as it's simply not true!
Any advice?

Yes.

In future remember your work emails do not belong to you and your employer can access them at any time.

It's s harsh lesson. In reality I'd just ignore ignore ignore, pretend it didn't happen and carry on regardless. Brass it out basically. What other options are there?

And don't be so daft next time!

Maybe your old managers learned some home truths.

I would try to forget it - it will be old news soon. Just focus on establishing a good reputation in your new position. Presumably you won't be reporting to your old managers once they move to your office, so just ignore them. Be civil, but nothing more. Your old colleagues will surely understand, and won't hold it against you.

If I trusted my new manager I'd go to them and fess up and ask them for advice. They are likely to find out anyway, if they don't already know.

Learn your lesson, its unprofessional, immature, demotivating to the whole team, and unconstructive to write email's in a work environment bitching about anyone. No one gains from it.

If you wouldn't say it to their face don't say it behind their back.

I'd do nothing.

Remember to be more careful in future.

Hopefully, you're old manager might learn a thing or two about the effects of their behaviour on staff.