地位，任命する Office's 最高の，を越す lawyers say 同僚s had 'unhealthy 見解（をとる） of subpostmasters' and did not ask themselves 'should we be doing this?', IT スキャンダル 調査 hears

  • Paula Vennells 'interjected' when it was 示唆するd that 起訴s should stop

By Sukhmani Sethi

Published: | Updated:

Former 最高の，を越す 地位，任命する Office lawyers had an 'unhealthy 見解（をとる） of subpostmasters' and did not ask themselves 'should we be doing this?' as they 追求するd 起訴s against them, an 調査 has heard.

Former 最高の，を越す in-house lawyer Susan Crichton told the 地位，任命する Office Horizon IT 調査 that 同僚s' 態度 に向かって 起訴s was 'this is public money, we have to 保護する it, that's our 職業'.?

Ms Crichton, who was the 地位，任命する Office's former general counsel, 認める that?略奪する Wilson, former 長，率いる of 犯罪の 法律 at the 地位，任命する Office, and Jarnail Singh, a 上級の lawyer, had an 'unhealthy 見解（をとる） of subpostmasters'.

Questioned by Julian Blake, counsel to the 調査, whether she 設立する it 'strange' not to always be 招待するd to board 会合s, the former in-house lawyer said the 地位，任命する Office 'did not 株 that understanding of her broader 役割'.

Ms Crichton, who 辞職するd from her 役割 in 2013, 以前 told the 調査 she believed former 長，指導者 (n)役員／(a)執行力のある Paula Vennells had not understood her 推論する／理由s for leaving the company.

Ms Crichton, who resigned from her role in 2013, previously told the inquiry she believed Paula Vennells had not understood her reasons for leaving the company

Ms Crichton, who 辞職するd from her 役割 in 2013, 以前 told the 調査 she believed Paula Vennells had not understood her 推論する／理由s for leaving the company

She said: 'I don't think she understood my point about (the Second 場所／位置 暫定的な 報告（する）／憶測) has to be an 独立した・無所属 review, we can't manage it or manipulate it in the way that かもしれない Alice was 推定する／予想するing me to do.

'This is all supposition on my part.'

Ms Vennells, who?没収されるd her CBE for 'bringing the honours system into disrepute' over the mishandling of the Horizon 危機, 'interjected' when 上級の 管理／経営 示唆するd subpostmaster 起訴s should stop, the 調査 heard.

The 地位，任命する Office Horizon IT 調査 was shown a 文書 that 述べるd Ms Vennells as 'resiling' from the 提案s in 2013.

Asked by Sam Stein KC, who is 代表するing the largest number of 犠牲者s, if?Ms Crichton had 調印するd a 非，不，無 公表，暴露 協定 upon her 辞職, she said she had.

'Have you been 解放（する）d from that now?' he 追加するd.

'I hope so,' she replied.

Asked about a 会合 …に出席するd by the then 長，指導者 (n)役員／(a)執行力のある, Chris Aujard, a former 最高の，を越す lawyer at the 地位，任命する Office, said: 'My recollection is that the (n)役員／(a)執行力のある 委員会 were in favour of 中止するing 起訴s 完全に.

'But, when that proposition was discussed at the 委員会, Paula interjected or made the comment that proposition should not be taken as what I'd ーするつもりであるd it to be, never bringing 起訴s, but rather... 地位，任命する Office should continue to take some 起訴s.

Ms Crichton, who was the Post Office's former general counsel, admitted that Jarnail Singh, a senior lawyer, had an 'unhealthy view of subpostmasters'

Ms Crichton, who was the 地位，任命する Office's former general counsel, 認める that Jarnail Singh, a 上級の lawyer, had an 'unhealthy 見解（をとる） of subpostmasters'

Susan Crichton told the inquiry that colleagues' attitude towards prosecutions was 'this is public money, we have to protect it, that's our job' (Pictured: Rob Wilson)

Susan Crichton told the 調査 that 同僚s' 態度 に向かって 起訴s was 'this is public money, we have to 保護する it, that's our 職業' (Pictured: 略奪する Wilson)

?'I've got no recollection of that 会合 other than the 限られた／立憲的な recollection of that comment,' he 追加するd.

Mr Aujard, who first joined the 地位，任命する Office as 暫定的な general counsel in October 2013 and left the company in March 2015.

Auditors Second Sight 解放（する）d an 暫定的な 報告（する）／憶測 which identified bugs that raised 関心s over the reliability of Horizon data used to 起訴する subpostmasters in July 2013.

When asked if he had been aware of system 問題／発行するs, the former in-house lawyer said he was told 'there were no bug, errors or defects' apart from those identified in an audit 報告（する）／憶測.

He began his 証拠 to the 調査 by apologising to subpostmasters and their families for the 'anguish and 苦しむing' 原因（となる）d.

'I want to start by 説 how 深く，強烈に sorry I am to the subpostmasters and 地位，任命する Office 従業員s for the anguish and 苦しむing that you and your families have had to 耐える,' he said.

Paula Vennells forfeited her CBE for 'bringing the honours system into disrepute' over the mishandling of the Horizon crisis

Paula Vennells 没収されるd her CBE for 'bringing the honours system into disrepute' over the mishandling of the Horizon 危機

The Post Office has come under fire since the broadcast of ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which put the Horizon scandal under the spotlight

The 地位，任命する Office has come under 解雇する／砲火／射撃 since the broadcast of ITV 演劇 Mr Bates Vs The 地位，任命する Office, which put the Horizon スキャンダル under the スポットライト

'I know for many of you here this has come far too late.

'I hope the 証拠 I can give today will get to the heart of what has happened.'

Questioned about 地位，任命する Office's 私的な 起訴s of subpostmasters, Mr Aujard he was 'very surprised' to find out it was done as a general 力／強力にする for the company.

The 地位，任命する Office has come under 解雇する／砲火／射撃 since the broadcast of ITV 演劇 Mr Bates Vs The 地位，任命する Office, which put the Horizon スキャンダル under the スポットライト.

More than 700 subpostmasters were 起訴するd and 手渡すd 犯罪の 有罪の判決s between 1999 and 2015 as Fujitsu's 欠陥のある Horizon system made it appear as though money was 行方不明の at their 支店s.

Hundreds of subpostmasters are を待つing 補償（金） にもかかわらず the 政府 発表するing that those who have had 有罪の判決s quashed are 適格の for £600,000 payouts.