Paula Vennells live: Ex-Post Office CEO back at Inquiry after ‘crocodile tears’

Paula Vennells wept while giving her testimony last Wednesday.

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Paula Vennells, the former CEO of Post Office, will be giving testimony for the second time in the Horizon IT scandal investigation. This comes after allegations were made that she was being insincere with her tears and that the information she provided to MPs was incorrect.

Ms. Vennells had a hard time responding to questions during the initial day of her three-day testimony on Wednesday. She steadfastly maintained that she had no awareness of the Post Office conducting its own clandestine criminal investigations until 2012, despite having joined the organisation 5 years earlier.

When asked about her reaction to the passing of ex-subpostmaster Martin Griffiths, the woman couldn't hold back her tears and became emotional. In addition, she took a while to compose herself and respond to some of the questions asked. Martin had tried to take his own life in 2013.

The CWU association, which speaks for employees of the Post Office, titled a footage of Paula Vennells that it shared on X as: "Paula Vennells' insincere tears should not go without consequences."

According to Ms. Vennells, the statements she made in her letters to MPs about Horizon were erroneous. Nonetheless, she insisted that she "honestly believed" that they were accurate when she made them.

The faulty Horizon IT system created by Fujitsu led to over 700 subpostmasters being wrongly accused and convicted of criminal charges between 1999 and 2015. The system falsely indicated that there was missing money at their branches.

"Paula Vennells' Second Day Testimony At Ex-Post Office"

Paula Vennells, the previous CEO of Post Office, has started testifying for the second time in the Horizon IT scandal investigation.

Ms Vennells, who is currently testifying for three consecutive days, encountered difficulty in responding to inquiries during the first day's session. She was charged with shedding insincere tears, referred to as "crocodile tears," and confessed to providing false information to Members of Parliament.

Tara Cobham posted on her blog at 09:51 on May 23rd, 2024.

Former Post Office CEO To Testify At Inquiry, Day 2

Former CEO of Post Office, Paula Vennells, is scheduled to testify again at the Horizon IT inquiry today. This comes after she was accused of shedding fake tears and acknowledging that the information she gave to MPs was incorrect.

From 1999 to 2015, over 700 subpostmasters were inaccurately charged and given criminal records due to the flawed Horizon IT system developed by Fujitsu. The IT system caused discrepancies in the displayed amount of money at their respective branches by making it seem as though some of the money was absent.

Tara Cobham wrote a blog post on May 23, 2024 at 8:47.

Alan Bates Unsympathetic To Tearful Paula Vennells

Alan Bates, who is the main person leading the campaign and has previously worked as a subpostmaster, expressed that he is unsympathetic towards Paula Vennells. Vennells, who was giving her first testimony at the inquiry into the Horizon IT system, broke down twice during her questioning.

On Wednesday morning, Mr Bates had a meeting with top-ranking officials from the Metropolitan Police to delve into the likelihood of pressing charges in relation to the Post Office Horizon scandal.

He stated that an investigation will be conducted, which he was assured of. The group of subpostmasters require this assurance as they were never previously certain of it until today.

Tara Cobham posted a blog on May 23, 2024, at 8:14 am.

Ex-Subpostmaster: More Tears Shed Than Vennells

Lee Castleton stated that Paula Vennells will not cry as much as he did. Castleton, who resides in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, was found to have £25,000 less in his branch in 2004. After losing his legal fight with the Post Office, he was declared bankrupt.

Talking about the testimony given by Ms Vennells, he stated: "She has a great chance to share what she believes is the truth with the public."

In my opinion, this is a significant opportunity for her. The documentation is impressive, as it provides valuable insight into what was transpiring during that period. Viewing this material is incredibly crucial for us. I do not place as much emphasis on her recollections as I do on the physical proof. The actual spoken testimony does not hold as much relevance for me.

When asked about Ms Vennells crying, the speaker noted that he and his family, as well as other victims and the larger community, have shed more tears.

I do feel empathetic towards that situation, as I comprehend it fully.

I suppose a significant amount of it is related to anxiety and trying her utmost. In my opinion, she possesses a desire or requirement to act appropriately.

On May 23rd, 2024 at 6:59 by Andy Gregory

"Post Office Chief's Career Collapse: From Ordained Priest To Disgrace"

Paula Vennells' earlier successful profession as the CEO of Post Office came to a disastrous end due to the Horizon scandal.

The lady has received a lot of negative feedback regarding how she managed the scandal, and eventually resigned from her job as CEO in February 2019. People have wondered if she left on purpose at the same time as the lawsuits filed by subpostmasters, especially Alan Bates who was leading the campaign.

Amid increasing pressure regarding the Horizon debacle and a petition that garnered over 1.2 million signatures, Ms. Vennells returned her CBE earlier this year.

After subpostmasters had their convictions overturned, she decided to leave her positions at Morrisons and Dunelm. Ms Vennells also stepped down from her role as chairwoman of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in 2021. She had started the job in April 2019, soon after leaving the Post Office.

Andy Gregory wrote a blog on May 23rd, 2024 at 5:51 am.

Paula Vennells Apologizes For Horizon Debacle

Andy Gregory, May 23, 2024, 03:42 AM Rewritten: On May 23, 2024 at 3:42 in the morning, Andy Gregory made a post in the blog section.

Post Office Denies ‘system Issues’ With Horizon; Seen As ‘completely Unfair’

Paula Vennells has expressed her discontent with the Post Office's insistence that there were no widespread mistakes in Horizon, stating that she believes this to be entirely unjust.

Jason Beer, who is advising the investigation, inquired whether the Post Office repeatedly claimed in 2014 that there were no widespread errors detected in Horizon software.

Ms Vennells responded by saying: "Yes, it was incorrect and unjust... It was not reasonable to utilize it in the company."

On the date of 23 May 2024, at 02:35, Andy Gregory wrote a blog post.

Why Was Horizon 'folklore' Circulating In Post Office?

Jason Beer KC, who is advising the inquiry, questioned Paula Vennells about why there were multiple untrue statements or myths being shared about the Horizon system at the Post Office.

Mr Beer suggested that the Post Office had incorrect beliefs regarding its court victories, the absence of issues with Horizon software, and the unavailability of remote access for Fujitsu. In response, Ms Vennells stated that these statements were not considered false at the time. She couldn't recall the exact source of these statements, but it was likely from the Post Office legal team.

Therefore, the solution for each of them would be to search within the company for the department or individual with the knowledge of how the incorrect information came about.

Mr Beer inquired whether it is a significant matter if fictitious stories arise without any factual basis.

According to Ms. Vennells' statement, she concurs with the previous idea presented.

Mr Beer also inquired whether the development or perpetuation of such folklore without verifying the truth speaks to the culture of the Post Office.

Ms Vennells gave a response that was quite challenging to address as it appears reasonable when reviewed on hindsight. During that time, especially where I was concerned, I believed that the individuals who gave me counsel were reliable, given their proficiency. I didn't have any suspicions that their insights were rooted in myths or traditional beliefs.

It is May 23, 2024, and Andy Gregory has written a blog post at 1:24 in the morning.

Ex-Post Office Workers Acquitted Of Convictions

Attorneys have announced that six additional ex-employees of the Post Office have been acquitted of charges such as stealing and deceiving as a result of the Horizon information technology debacle.

Sushma Blaggan was among the group of six individuals who attended a nearby inquiry. She had previously been convicted of theft in 2004, but that conviction was overturned. She went to the inquiry to witness former Post Office head Paula Vennells provide her testimony.

On Wednesday, during a court hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice located in the heart of London, the convictions of Assad Alli, Marion Chapman, Thomas Mulhall, Kimberly Connors, and Seema Rahman were also overturned.

Andy Gregory posted in the blog on May 23, 2024 at 12:27 AM.

Former Royal Mail CEO Sends Incriminating Text To Paula Vennells On Post Office Scandal

Paula Vennells received a severe message from the previous head officer of the Royal Mail, indicating that she was aware of the defects present in the Horizon IT software employed by the Post Office.

Moya Greene, the previous leader of Royal Mail for a duration of eight years, informed the ex-Post Office head, "I believe you were aware."

Ms Greene was informed by Ms Vennells that her assumption was incorrect by saying, "Moya, that is not accurate."

However, according to the official Post Office Horizon IT inquiry, Ms Greene revealed an exchange of messages stating that she could not continue to support Ms Vennells "after discovering what I have".

Andy Gregory posted a blog at 11:41 PM on May 22, 2024.