For anyone with time on their hands watching the Inquiry live stream on YouTube can be quite interesting depending on who is in the witness box.
Today is a good day to watch!
Post Office scandal
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Yes, was keeping an eye on today's squirming!
I only caught up with the dramatisation last night, but someone had asked me earlier in the week about Fujitsu's culpability, given my line of work. I responded that they were probably fireproof because they would have delivered a project that had been tested and signed off by the customer. However, from the dramatisation, it appears they were actually running it as a managed service - in which case, they're going to be in a lot of trouble!
I only caught up with the dramatisation last night, but someone had asked me earlier in the week about Fujitsu's culpability, given my line of work. I responded that they were probably fireproof because they would have delivered a project that had been tested and signed off by the customer. However, from the dramatisation, it appears they were actually running it as a managed service - in which case, they're going to be in a lot of trouble!
One of the most obvious first thing to check is whether there had been keying errors at the local post office. This can be done by cross checking against a printed list of transactions to eliminate human error at the local terminal.
This appears never to have been done. The immediate conclusion was the sub posties were on the fiddle as it fitted the belief by the top management that it has always gone on and now they had the proof.
This appears never to have been done. The immediate conclusion was the sub posties were on the fiddle as it fitted the belief by the top management that it has always gone on and now they had the proof.
doubt it, its very much worth the risk, look at the clowns we have running the country and what they have got away with.
The case of the poor lady who ran Hatherley Post Office cropped up briefly at the end of yesterdays hearings.
I think her conviction has been quashed now, but when we come into this world we only have one life.
It's not a computer game where you get 3 chances so I've been getting more and more angry this past year with politicians, celebrities and others getting found out about various matters and then saying "I apologise".
They only do this once they've been rumbled and in the case of the Post Office they've ruined the one and only life that those wrongly convicted have.
Rant over- for now.
I think her conviction has been quashed now, but when we come into this world we only have one life.
It's not a computer game where you get 3 chances so I've been getting more and more angry this past year with politicians, celebrities and others getting found out about various matters and then saying "I apologise".
They only do this once they've been rumbled and in the case of the Post Office they've ruined the one and only life that those wrongly convicted have.
Rant over- for now.
That resonates with something unrelated I saw on ITV news last night - a guy in jail for killing another guy outside a pub 10 years ago. The only witness, and the main reason the guy was convicted, has said that he was drunk and only saw the person he thought he saw for a split second. The murdered man's brother wants the guy released. But it's likely to take years before anything might happen about it, despite a new appeal being lodged. The guy, who has been in prison for 10 years, found guilty on next to no evidence, continues to lose years of his life.
It all comes down to the systems and people in charge not doing good enough, and not working for the people.
It all comes down to the systems and people in charge not doing good enough, and not working for the people.
Yes he was pinned on that by the emails yet an earlier investigator was evasive and couldn't really remember.
A very powerful piece on the One Show tonight where it was reiterated that serious charges including fraud,perjury and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice will be layed against those involved.
A very powerful piece on the One Show tonight where it was reiterated that serious charges including fraud,perjury and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice will be layed against those involved.
Interesting one, today, with another investigator. This guy had to be compelled to attend because he no longer works for the PO so he "wasn't being paid to attend" and had done the bare minimum in terms of a witness statement. He was clearly shifty and uncomfortable being grilled. One of his 'victims' from North Uist has since been cleared. When asked if he thought he was guilty despite that, this investigator replied "yes". What a complete barsteward that investigator is, clearly.
However....... This part of the inquest included transcripts of the interviews during which this sub-postmaster unambiguously admitted that he had used PO funds to prop up his failing shop business, deliberately taking PO cash and depositing it in his own business accounts in order to pay off his Cash and Carry bills. Despite this, his conviction was quashed along with dozens of other Scottish claimants.
This got me thinking that, despite the clear miscarriages of justice that have obviously occurred, laws of averages dictate that at least some of those convicted were probably actually guilty, with or without the help of Horizon - but the involvement of that software has meant *all* convictions are unsafe.
However....... This part of the inquest included transcripts of the interviews during which this sub-postmaster unambiguously admitted that he had used PO funds to prop up his failing shop business, deliberately taking PO cash and depositing it in his own business accounts in order to pay off his Cash and Carry bills. Despite this, his conviction was quashed along with dozens of other Scottish claimants.
This got me thinking that, despite the clear miscarriages of justice that have obviously occurred, laws of averages dictate that at least some of those convicted were probably actually guilty, with or without the help of Horizon - but the involvement of that software has meant *all* convictions are unsafe.
Because wheels are turning too slowly I believe that in England ALL convictions etc are being quashed and compensation paid out meaning as you say there will be a small percentage of sub postmaster who were in fact guilty getting compensation erroneously.
Think our own Alex Chalk may have had a hand in that.
In Scotland however the chief law officer won't do that so the innocent will be kept waiting so that a small guilty percentage don't get off.
If we were talking about violent offences rather than false accounting I could understand her position, but she needs to smell the coffee.
Think our own Alex Chalk may have had a hand in that.
In Scotland however the chief law officer won't do that so the innocent will be kept waiting so that a small guilty percentage don't get off.
If we were talking about violent offences rather than false accounting I could understand her position, but she needs to smell the coffee.
For anyone wanting some light relief from deadline day drama this might be 18 minutes of amusing dialogue to listen to.
I started by thinking that this witness was possibly the most over promoted person on the planet to thinking that maybe she is just in need of help.
https://youtu.be/EnhLw5eZ0Sg?si=RNySqdzzZVftUNsP
I started by thinking that this witness was possibly the most over promoted person on the planet to thinking that maybe she is just in need of help.
https://youtu.be/EnhLw5eZ0Sg?si=RNySqdzzZVftUNsP
Not a guest list many of them wants to be on.
https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.or ... es-5-and-6
https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.or ... es-5-and-6
Mr Beer KC, appears to be getting quiety annoyed with the latest witness, Rodric Williams (former litigation lawyer and now head of Legal at POL).
Meanwhile, Mr Williams' face has adopted an expression of permanent confusion as if he doesn't really understand why he has been asked to appear nor why Mr Beer is asking the questions he is.
Meanwhile, Mr Williams' face has adopted an expression of permanent confusion as if he doesn't really understand why he has been asked to appear nor why Mr Beer is asking the questions he is.
I'm only an hour in listening to our Rodric and I'm thinking why did this sanctimonious clown choose England when he could have perhaps chosen Rwanda....or anywhere really, when he left NZ.asl wrote: ↑18 Apr 2024, 14:15 Mr Beer KC, appears to be getting quiety annoyed with the latest witness, Rodric Williams (former litigation lawyer and now head of Legal at POL).
Meanwhile, Mr Williams' face has adopted an expression of permanent confusion as if he doesn't really understand why he has been asked to appear nor why Mr Beer is asking the questions he is.
He's being questioned again tomorrow too.
Love Island beckons for him I reckon.
Radacanu is on Sky shortly, then it's the Robins live stream.....I'm really spoilt for choice.
Ha ha, yes.
Whetting our appetite for top of the bill, The Very ,Very, Right Reverend Paula in May, if she hasn't taken a trip to B &Q by then.
In fairness he's got a lot of ammunition to use.
His best line this morning was " was this something you just airbrushed from your mind"
A fun article on her here being lambasted by a high court judge.
https://www.postofficetrial.com/2020/04 ... -what.html
Lovely! I liked Mr Beer asking "did you forget about this email, too?"
It's quite clear she was deliberately withholding pertinent information back in 2012. It's quite clear that she lied on her witness statement about what she knew and when.
Beer is going harder at her than he has others. If he's this hard on her, what on earth is Mr Stein KC going to be like??
It's quite clear she was deliberately withholding pertinent information back in 2012. It's quite clear that she lied on her witness statement about what she knew and when.
Beer is going harder at her than he has others. If he's this hard on her, what on earth is Mr Stein KC going to be like??
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