Post Office inquiry live: Ex-boss Paula Vennells sorry for suffering of sub-postmasters - BBC News

Business Correspondent Emma Simpson and Live Reporter Sam Hancock have presented their findings from an inquiry.

Do You Have A TV Licence?

In order to view live television on any network or gadget, as well as BBC content on iPlayer, you are required to have one. This is a legal obligation.

Rewritten: Edited by Emily McGarvey and Rob Corp.

time. Please note that all the times provided are in UK time zone.

"Vennells Reads Warning About Self-Incrimination"

Updating from the investigation

It's safe to assume that there is a great deal transpiring within this space.

A little ahead of my position, Jason Beer, who is the advisor for the inquiry, arrived and put down some documents at the place where he has been questioning numerous ex-managers and consultants of the Post Office.

On my right side, ex-sub-postmistress Seema Misra embraced her legal representative and briefly spoke with him before the start of today's events. It's important to recall that she was unjustly imprisoned while she was carrying a child.

Over on my left side, there is a portal designated specifically for the use of staff members. It's the entrance and exit area used for individuals who are appearing before the inquiry to provide evidence. Paula Vennells has just entered through this door.

After taking the oath, Sir Wyn Williams, who is leading the investigation, cautions Vennells about the risk of implicating oneself.

Vennells Takes Oath As Inquiry Commences

On the initial day of the public inquiry, Paula Vennells, the ex-chief of Post Office, is getting ready to provide her testimony which is set to last for three consecutive days.

Join us as we present to you her revelations - it's important to note that this is her initial public statement on the Horizon IT fiasco in ten years.

To view the live stream, simply click on the "Play" button located above.

Jailed Ex-postmaster Wants Truth From Vennells

Seema Misra, a sub-postmaster who has been previously convicted of stealing £74,000, has urged Paula Vennells to speak honestly about the matter.

When questioned about her belief in the truthfulness of the inquiry's findings, Misra stated that she did not have faith in them.

Misra was expecting a child when she was incarcerated in 2010 for running a Post Office in West Byfleet, Surrey.

During an interview with BBC News channel, she expressed her desire to comprehend the reasons behind Vennells' lack of active involvement in resolving the unfair prosecution of sub-postmasters while she was the head of Post Office.

Misra commented on Vennells' statement to MPs in 2015 that she had not come across any proof of any wrongful conviction.

Let's wait and see what she's going to speak about today. She has another opportunity to express the truth, therefore, let's see how it unfolds.

"Hello From Our Bustling Inquiry Center"

I am writing from the investigation.

Paula Vennells has already arrived at Aldwych House. She used to be the boss of the Post Office but gave back her CBE because of the trouble caused by the TV show Mr Bates vs the Post Office earlier this year.

She maneuvered herself through a cluster of journalists to enter the investigation premises, and is probably now undertaking some final readiness with her lawyers before taking an oath.

The attendance for Vennells' first day of testimony is remarkable, as demonstrated by the huge crowd. I have visited the inquiry numerous times before, but I have never witnessed such a tremendous turnout.

I can spot several previous holders of the position of sub-postmasters and postmistresses in the audience today. Janet Skinner, Lee Castleton, and Seema Misra are some of the individuals I can identify while I am writing this blog.

"Paula Vennells Repeatedly Referenced In Inquiry"

Vennells may be testifying in the inquiry for the first time, but other ex-staff members have spoken about her actions frequently.

Just recently, Lesley Sewell, who used to be in charge of IT at the Post Office, revealed that she prevented Vennells from contacting her after the former CEO reached out to avoid an investigation done by an independent body.

Back in April, Chris Aujard, who used to be the highest-ranking lawyer in the company, claimed that Paula Vennells didn't listen to her colleagues who advised her to stop prosecuting sub-postmasters.

During our investigation, we came across an email where the woman's spouse recommended using the terms "anomaly" or "exception" instead of "bug" when talking about issues with the Horizon technology. He believed that these phrases were less charged with emotion. A legal representative involved in the inquiry deemed this suggestion to be "completely Orwellian".

Over the upcoming three days, it will be determined whether Vennells will be questioned directly about any of these subjects.

Vennells' Appearance Awaited By Inquiry

A journalist specializing in business news was present at the investigation.

We arrived at the hearing room ahead of time and there are already many people present.

There is a strong feeling of excitement as we eagerly await Paula Vennells to make her appearance.

The sub-postmasters are eagerly anticipating some responses from Janet Skinner. She confided in me that she was feeling quite anxious about it.

Inquiry Hearing Updates: What's Been Revealed?

During this stage of the investigation, lawyers have intensely questioned high-level executives from the Post Office regarding the Horizon scandal. We gathered a few key takeaways from these proceedings:

Ex-Sub-Postmaster: Vennells' Evidence Vital For Victims

Lee Castleton, a previous sub-postmaster, informed the BBC that he is eagerly anticipating receiving communication from Paula Vennells during the investigation in the near future.

During an interview with Radio 4's Today show, he emphasizes the significance of listening to the ex-CEO of Post Office, as it could help those impacted by the situation to progress and leave it behind.

When asked if Vennells’ behavior during her appearance is important to him, Castleton explains that he isn't seeking an expression of remorse from her; instead, he desires for Vennells to present her version of events.

I believe that the time when it mattered to me has passed a long time ago. Now, I am merely anticipating the truth.

Who Portrayed Vennells On ITV's 'Mr Bates Vs The Post Office'?

At the beginning of this year, the 'Post Office scandal' was reenacted by ITV. The series was broadcasted on January 1 and Vennells was highlighted as one of the significant characters in the four-part show.

Lia Williams, who is an actress, performed her part in the dramatic play.

Williams has been featured in various TV shows, including The Crown. Her performance in May 33rd also earned her a nomination for the BAFTA Awards in 2005.

Vennells Faces Media Crowd At Inquiry - Watch Now!

This morning, there was a large group of photographers and media waiting for Paula Vennells as she made her way to Aldwych House. Vennells is a former CEO of the Post Office.

Observe the instance when she entered the hearing in the video provided.

Horizon Scandal Leads To Vennells Losing CBE

Paula Vennells has shortened her name by three letters.

In the list of 2019 New Years Honours, she received a CBE due to her contributions to charity and the Post Office.

The recent news sparked controversy among many people, especially those sub-postmasters who had already taken legal action against the Post Office. Due to the increasing pressure, Vennells announced that she would return her CBE in January 2024.

In February, the Cabinet Office announced that her CBE had been taken away officially because she had caused a bad reputation for the honours system.

There was nothing mysterious about the timing of this.

Vennells made known her intention to hand back her CBE award in under a week following the conclusion of the Mr Bates vs The Post Office television show on ITV. This decision came a day subsequent to a petition which had garnered over one million signatures calling for the award to be revoked.

Vennells' Arrival: A Media Frenzy In Photos

When Paula Vennells arrived at Aldwych House in London, there was some chaos as she required police escort to get out of her car.

As she arrived this morning, a legion of reporters clamored to ask her questions and camera operators incessantly clicked their shutters to capture snapshots of the ex-Postal Service chief.

Post Office Scandal: A Timely Reminder

Over 900 sub-postmasters were falsely accused of theft due to erroneous data from a software program called Horizon.

From 1999 to 2015, the Post Office took legal action against 700 individuals and institutions for various reasons. Additionally, other organizations such as the Crown Prosecution Service handled 283 cases related to the Post Office.

A lot of sub-postmasters were incarcerated for committing fraudulent accounting and stealing, and a few suffered from financial devastation.

Back in 2017, around 555 sub-postmasters decided to take legal action against the Post Office. Two years later in 2019, the Post Office finally agreed to pay out £58 million in compensation. Unfortunately, a significant portion of this money ended up being spent on legal fees.

The BBC revealed a preliminary report stating that the Post Office spent a hundred million pounds on legal battles against the group, even though they were aware that their argument was false.

The report's commenting deemed "inappropriate" by the Post Office.

Even though activists managed to secure the reevaluation of their claims, the number of overturned verdicts stood at merely 102 by March 2024. The Criminal Cases Review Commission regarded this issue as the "most prevalent instance of wrongful conviction" it had ever come across.

The post office is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police due to suspected fraud offenses.

What To Ask Ex-Post Office CEO Vennells?

At what point did she become aware that it was possible to access accounts from a remote location?

The Post Office had repeatedly said that sub-postmasters' branch accounts could not be accessed remotely without their awareness. However, the discovery that Fujitsu, the entity in charge of the Horizon system, possessed this capability, damaged the credibility of all accusations made by the Post Office, both in court trials and in civil lawsuits.

Was she dishonest with Parliament back in 2015?

During a meeting with the business select committee in 2015, Paula Vennells asserted that she hadn't observed any cases of unjust verdicts. However, in 2013, barrister Simon Clarke cautioned the Post Office regarding issues with previous prosecutions. This was due to their dependence on evidence from Gareth Jenkins, the Fujitsu IT engineer who deliberately concealed knowledge of system glitches from the courts.

Did someone have control over her actions?

There is some important information to consider regarding this issue. The government is the owner of the Post Office and has one of its representatives on the board. When she was in charge, there were a lot of unknown details about the interactions between ministers, high-level government officials and the decision-making process, which was a critical time when the supposed concealing of information was taking place.

Who's Paula Vennells?

Paula Vennells, a woman of 65 years, served as the chief executive of the Post Office from 2012 to 2019, during which she received a sum of £5.1 million as compensation for her leadership role.

Before starting at the Post Office as a group network director in 2007, she worked as a priest. In 2017, she was considered for the role of Bishop of London and was interviewed for the position.

Following her departure from the Post Office, she served as a non-executive board member at the Cabinet Office for an entire year. Additionally, she assumed the position of chairman at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

At the close of 2020, she put up this blog entry explaining her departure due to personal reasons. As of 2021, she has let go of her administrative responsibilities but still holds the position of an ordained priest.

Earlier in the year, she chose to return her CBE in response to a petition started by the public, which demanded that she be deprived of the honour.

Biggest Inquiry Day Yet

Today marks the most significant day of the prolonged investigation.

From 2012 to 2019, Paula Vennells served as the CEO of Post Office. It had been observed that several sub-postmasters had been found guilty before she took up the chief executive position.

However, even with her in charge, the Post Office persisted in insisting that the Horizon IT system was not at fault, despite overwhelming proof to the contrary. Those who were harmed by this situation have always suspected that this was a deliberate attempt to hide the truth, and this prolonged the scandal for a significant amount of time.

Vennells expressed her heartfelt apologies for the immense pain inflicted upon the sub-postmasters and their loved ones. She affirmed her commitment to providing complete assistance and collaboration with the Inquiry. Her primary testimony comprises almost 900 pages, which incorporates an index of all the records she was requested to furnish comments on.

She will be questioned intensively for a period of three days, which sets a new record for the longest time that any witness has been subjected to questioning thus far.

According to Neil Hudgell, the attorney who advocates for numerous sub-postmasters who have been unjustly accused, the evidence presented this week is of great importance to his clients.

Many individuals are willing to travel for miles just to hear the truth. The hearing room and overflow area have a combined 180 seats, but it is doubtful that there will be any vacant ones today.

Former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells To Testify In Inquiry

Today, Paula Vennells, former leader of the Post Office, is set to provide evidence over the course of three days at an inquiry regarding the Horizon IT controversy.

She is going to talk about her involvement in the scandal openly for the first time after almost ten years.

In 2012, Vennells received a promotion as CEO. Prior to this, many sub postmasters had been charged with criminal offenses. Despite mounting internal evidence, the Post Office maintained their stance that the Horizon IT system was not at fault throughout the seven years of her leadership.

Today's inquiry is expected to be captivating. We will keep you updated with all the significant details and thorough analyses. Keep up with us!