Paula Vennells knew of Post Office hack two years before denial, tapes reveal

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There are claims that Paula Vennells, who was in charge of the Post Office, might have been informed about a secret team that had the ability to manipulate the Horizon system and alter the accounts of various branches. These allegations suggest that this information may have been discussed with Vennells two years prior to her appearance before parliament.

Recently, there have been new accusations that Ms. Vennells was informed by the Post Office's chief legal advisor that a department located in the Fujitsu headquarters in Bracknell was able to remotely access the accounts of the subpostmasters.

The Channel 4 network has acquired recordings that reveal Susan Crichton, the head lawyer of the Post Office, confirming on two occasions that Ms Vennells had knowledge of the accusations.

The audio clip, which was recorded in 2013, features Ms. Crichton's voice stating:

Paula is aware of the accusation and is informed that we are working on resolving it.

She stated, "Paula possesses every necessary skill. I have instructed her to stay informed about any issues as soon as I gather evidence, and she promptly takes action."

Paula Vennells, who used to be in charge of the Post Office, has given up her CBE award due to public disapproval of her involvement in the Horizon scandal.

The recorded material was created two years before the Post Office decided to stop prosecuting their sub-postmasters. It was also two years before the former CEO informed MPs in 2015 that there was no way for subpostmasters' accounts to be accessed in a remote manner.

The Post Office provided written proof to the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Investigation, stating that it is impossible to modify, alter, or erase transaction data after it has been recorded in the branch's accounts using Horizon. This functionality is not available to the branch, Post Office or Fujitsu.

From 1999 to 2015, over 700 branch managers located throughout the United Kingdom received prosecution from the Post Office. This predicament arose due to the defective Horizon software that distorted the financial records and made it seem as if funds were unaccounted for in their stores.

The ongoing scandal regarding the Post Office has revolved around the possible remote access to their Horizon system by Fujitsu operatives. This evidence has played a key role in the investigation.

Recently discovered recordings are from a discussion attended by forensic accountancy company Second Sight's detectives and various officials from the Post Office.

During the call, they made mention of Michael Rudkin, a past union official for the Post Office, who played a key role in uncovering Fujitsu's secret operations team.

Ron Warmington, a spokesperson for Second Sight, has cautioned that Ms Vennells may be interrogated by Lord Arbuthnot - an advocate for sub-postmasters - regarding the Bracknell venture in the recorded tape.

Warmington inquires, "If James were to mention something along the lines of 'Regarding the team operating undercover in Bracknell, as Rudkin had cited, where do you stand on this claim?'"

"Okay, that's a particular instance. When we complete the inquiry, we can revisit it," Ms. Crichton replied.

"Well, I just hope that she doesn't return and question, 'What's this problem with Bracknell? What is he talking about?' and someone responds with, 'Oh, we've been aware of it for two months,'" Mr. Warmington investigates.

Ms Crichton acknowledges that she is aware of the accusation and confirms that we are currently putting in effort to address it.

The Post Office's Horizon accounting system caused numerous subpostmasters to be falsely accused of theft, as it showed that money was absent from their branches although it was not the case.

The recordings also show that attorneys were anxious to stop the attention from Members of Parliament on the developing controversy.

The lawyer representing the Post Office was recorded suggesting a strategy to put an end to the process. He proposed finding a way to halt MPs from submitting cases and offered ideas on how to persuade them to agree with the plan. The priority was to determine a solution that could be implemented swiftly.

She goes on to say: "I'm just considering aloud, is there a possible solution to stop the MP cases and satisfy James and his buddies, so they won't bother us anymore?"

Former union worker Mr. Rudkin informed Channel 4 that the recordings partially validated his beliefs. He stated, "The moment I heard it, I was ecstatic and thought, 'Rudkin, you were correct!' The second recording, however, filled me with sorrow as I asked myself, 'Why did my spouse and children have to suffer as a result?'"

He carried on by saying, "It's not only us who face the impact, but the entire family suffers. Being ignored in the nearby society generates rumors of wrongdoing. Susan's and my reputation are also severely damaged."

"I simply cannot comprehend why it's taking the Metropolitan Police an extended period of time to take control of this situation. There ought to be consequences for someone's actions."

Susan Crichton and Paula Vennells did not reply to the inquiries made by Channel 4 News.

According to a representative from the Post Office, their primary objective is to ascertain the factual events that took place. They are devoting all their attention to aiding the official Public Inquiry which is supervised by a legal expert with the authority to interrogate witnesses under solemn affirmation. Therefore, they believe that the inquiry is the most efficient way to assist in discovering the truth.

Fujitsu has been reached out to for a statement.