More secret tapes prove Post Office boss briefed on system backdoor

More shocking revelations from secret recordings obtained by Channel 4 News show that Post Office boss Paula Vennells was briefed about allegations of a "covert operations teams" - and that it could remotely alter sub-postmasters accounts from Fujitsu's HQ without them knowing.That was in 2013. Seven years later, in letters to a parliamentary committee, Paula Vennells insisted she had been told by Fujitsu this was not possible.
Meanwhile the Post Office had taken innocent sub-postmasters to court, saying they must have stolen money when their accounts failed to add up - a miscarriage of justice that the tapes also reference.
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[@marksavage1108]

It wasnt miscarraige of justice, it was willingly conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

[@noelfleming3567]

Why is all this not obviously on regular news

[@richy69ify]

@@noelfleming3567 $$$$

[@wills2552]

Agreed, shameful and they are getting away with it.

[@HonestMan112]

Isnt this the great britain everyone used to love?

[@richy69ify]

@@HonestMan112 that doesn't make sense, many of the Postmasters are Asian. My Nan says the good ol days were when the local postmaster helped with village hall Bingo on a Saturday night and all the shops were closed on Sunday. Church bells woke us up at 10am and everyone dressed smart.

[@dismalfist]

SEND THE POLICE! She needs to be ARRESTED NOW!

[@StimParavane]

She's a woman so there is little chance of her going to prison in this feminist society.

[@laurieharper1526]

As do the entire senior management and executives around her.

[@24321619]

I think she needs to make an offensive tweet for that to happen!

[@user-rs2qw7co2h]

​@@24321619that's funny and Scottish 😂

[@shadowdugify]

only if it's pronouns were wrong will they turn up

[@ayshajohn2439]

They destroyed people's lives because they did not want to admit fault. This was an evil act!

[@dayoiloyi4605]

Why is this woman not in jail?

[@davidhorn6008]

She will go.

[@davzer3773]

Plus the senior executives at the post office and Fujitsu!

[@hugolloyd940]

Maybe she will when it's all over

[@dedoc7143]

Paula Vennals needs to be charged with conspiracy, perjury, and perverting the course of justice. Her sentence should be as long as all those who have served jail time consecutively.

[@StimParavane]

She's a woman so there is little chance of her going to prison in this feminist society.

[@A2Z1Two3]

She MUST be , not just Needs

[@paddymca8572]

Next time she appears in her priestess role, the congregation should shout her down.

[@angusg220]

Don't forget she is apparently considered a Clerk in Holy Orders. Another institution that pulls wool over eyes.

[@BoojayDeeth]

I need someone to explain to me how it is possible that Vennells and the other board members are not the subjects of a live criminal investigation. There is more than enough evidence, why the inaction?

[@SteveClarke-jd5se]

If Ms. Vennells isn't prosecuted, then what's the point of having any laws?

[@adenwellsmith6908]

So the state can attack the peasants.

[@SuperMickyChow]

To keep the poors in check and protect the interests of the rich

[@adenwellsmith6908]

@@SuperMickyChow More nuanced. The elite in Westminster want to cover up their pension ponzi. Imagine what happens when the penny drops that you have paid in hundreds of thousands of pounds and they won't pay what they owe you? What happens when you are poor and work out you will never get to the position to get anything back? Desperate people do desperate things, and its politicians that are the target. That's why they have gone fascist and authoritarian.

[@GafftheHorse]

There has never been as much strength in 'the law' for those at the top. In the minds of many in government, Laws are for little people not them their friends or the 'captains of industry'. I think the only way the real criminals at the Post Office during this scandal are going to see any justice is if members of the public bring a private persecution in a basement with various sharp objects. The 'public inquiry' is just there to make it seem like the issue is being investigated, it will only conclude when sufficient time has passed that public anger has subsided and the matter can be quietly dropped.

[@MrBoggins1234]

💯 pc

[@wulliest]

This is as clean a case of perverting the course of justice as there is. She should be stripped of her titles and sent to prison. No if's - no buts.

[@Pearcewreck]

That Mr Bates v the Post Office show is one of the best shows I have ever seen in my life. A brilliant piece of work by all involved.

[@paulbrightwell3621]

If Vennals et al don't go to prison then it will be another serious miscarriage of justice

[@suzilouden5964]

Et al includes all the lower managers, investigators and lawyers. They were all party to this criminal conspiracy...🤬🤬🤬

[@corvus1238]

They won't and it will be.

[@Jon-xw9om]

Would it be vindictive to suggest she not only goes to prison, but also is made bankrupt, has to return salary, bonuses, pensions shares etc?

[@jaxcoss5790]

​@@Jon-xw9omNope, not at all.

[@StimParavane]

She's a woman so there is little chance of her going to prison in this feminist society.

[@julierogers1155]

ARRESTS, NOW!

[@edcrichton9457]

Justice delayed is justice denied.

[@paulrichards6894]

will probably never happen

[@MrBubba311]

Arrests are for regular folks, not the elite.

[@ChoppingtonOtter]

They are rich, so exempt from the law. They'll just retire to villas abroad and so on and live grest easy lives.

[@richardshepherd5552]

Ha ha ha ha ha

[@twelveightyone]

Justice is needed NOW. Sickening that all this evidence is in the public eye and yet no one responsible for this huge miscarriage of justice is behind bars. JUSTICE NOW.

[@simonfitter8239]

If senior post office executives, managers and lawyers, don't go to prison, where is the incentive for other such persons, in the future, to behave more ethically?

[@normanwatson9056]

I can't believe that someone in charge could lie so much to the suffering of so many. This scandal killed innocent people and venebals is still trying to escape blame even after lying under oath!

[@martindoman7315]

A so-called Christian. I wonder how she can live with herself?

[@ceesjanmol]

So what could actually make you believe? More Tories running away with more millions die faulty PPE? More lies on more buses? You Islanders are such sheep.

[@alext2933]

She should be in PRISON NOW to get the ball rolling. The first of MANY.

[@Jourifouler]

Criminal convictions now

[@michaelmcginley7930]

No chance seat in the house of lords

[@EthanZoid]

Fact. Knight of Garter or whatever those are called

[@Andrew-rc3vh]

@@michaelmcginley7930 She was shortlisted to three people for the post of Bishop of London. Don't you think she was used as a pawn by the deep state to do their criminal work? I see it as the most likely explanation. They found someone too stupid to realise what they were doing, so they just followed orders from above. This is why she has not been arrested when any ordinary person would be down the cop shop before you knew it.

[@StimParavane]

She's a woman so there is little chance of her going to prison in this feminist society.

[@TheSynthnut]

Vennels is an ordained Anglican priest and was (until 2021) a member of the Church of England's Ethical Investment Advisory Group. So much for "values"

[@canalboating]

Makes you question the validity of these God botherers

[@sighfly2928]

Multimillionaire Sociopathic CEO turns Angelican Priest.

[@tippyphil]

I think she demonstrates exactly what the church is about

[@user-yr5kl1iw3t]

What ethics ?

[@edwardebel1847]

I haven't been to church in years, and I wonder when was the last time God went...

[@jeremynoble931]

Lock em' up

[@shyrahman4506]

The people who ran the Post Office should be sent to jail

[@vongoethe111]

Vennells For Prison 2024

[@StimParavane]

She's a woman so there is little chance of her going to prison in this feminist society.

[@brianlopez8855]

She must be made to be grateful to reach the safety of prison.

[@user-hd8fj2mb5p]

My God! Susan Crichton is a piece of work! She wanted to shut down all avenues for MPs to attempt to inquire into this scandal and make them 'go away'. This was whilst knowing that perfectly innocent people were being hounded, bankrupted, and imprisoned. She, Vennells, and the CEOs of both POL and Fujitsu were perfectly content with this as long as 'the brand' (and their own corruption) were treated as sacrosanct. Where are the Met Police in this? They've interviewed two people in four years! Where are the government? Sitting on their hands, playing for time, and doing nothing. Where are the mainstream media? Virtually silent, with the honourable exception of Channel 4. A firm called DPS Computing, which provided invaluable updates of the inquiry and the latest details of the scandal has been shamefully shut down by Google on wilfully manufactured 'evidence' with no right of appeal for another 90 days. Its revenue stream has been completely severed by Google, in direct contravention of its contract. Sinister actors are behind all this and they need to be identified, shamed, and roundly defeated. The implications of all this are HUGE for us all. Wake up! This is truly frightening stuff.

[@mootpointjones8488]

Private Eye reported on this story for over 12 years.

[@Soulboy63]

Well said

[@robinlecomte1242]

I reside outside the UK and via KZbin follow News from a round the world. I have both read about and watched the video drama on the Post Office 'scandal' and when you see News videos like this one, can I ask - "Why has the Tory Govt not got off knees and started asking questions - or it that to much to ask of 'Wishy Washy Rishi'? Also your final comment - I would place in front of you the Banking Scandal that Nigel Farage was caught in and the subsequent revelation that many other UK Citizens had suffered the same fate - again why has the Tory Govt not reviewed this - and the 'female' at the heart of the Banking scandal should have had her Knighthood revoked - or is that asking to much of 'wishy, washy Charles'? Sorry I read to much - Tom Bower wised me up on Charley. Keep up the good fight, but not is Scotland.

[@user-hd8fj2mb5p]

@robinlecomte1242 The Tories don't need to ask questions; they already know the answers. They're terrified of the truth being unearthed, though, because many leading Tories are implicated up to their testicles in the Post Office scandal. They either have direct personal links to Post Office CEOs at the heart of this matter or are linked to CEOs at Fujitsu, the company which produced the faulty Horizon computer system. Both companies have been complicit in lying by shamefully blaming subpostmasters for stealing money when it was the unfit-for-purpose Horizon system which actively created the alleged shortfall. The government has done nothing in the meantime to right the injustices which blight the entire affair except to mouth platitudes and instigate stalling tactics. During the past four months, the silence from the mainstream media has been deafening. The only honourable exceptions are DPS Computing (which Google, in contravention of its own contract, has stifled with egregious falsehoods as well as depriving it of its revenue stream) and Channel 4. All of this is happening in plain sight and innocent people are still awaiting justice after twenty years and more. Many of these have been bankrupted, suffered family break-ups, been hounded with false allegations, and been subjected to wrongful imprisonment via tainted evidence, perjury, and perversion of the course of justice. At least four suicides have been recorded. Immediate action is needed by government, judiciary, police, journalists, and media companies so that justice can finally be served and the guilty parties punished.

[@robinlecomte1242]

@@user-hd8fj2mb5p Many thanks for that information. I reside outside UK and since the promotion of the TV Series (which we have been able to watch) I have followed thru what printed data has arisen across KZbin. Know only to well how YT operates. But thank you, appreciate your response.

[@user-ux4km9uy8v]

MR BATES YOU ARE A SAINT

[@brucewhittaker3477]

The Police seem to act quick enough for easy misdemeanours but something as serious as this and perhaps a little more complicated than a speeding ticket they seem incapable or uninterested in investigating!! This is an appalling miscarriage of justice for these poor sub-postmasters covered up by what appears to be a bunch of morally lacking crooks. COME ON POLICE....DO SOMETHING!!!!!

[@oddnuts5764]

I just can't believe listening to Susan Crichton asking if there was a way to make the MPs go away. How heartless can you be, you are aware that there may be people in jail who shouldn't be there and you are asking how to shut the people up who are complaining about it. It beggars belief.

[@user-ce1ol8bj7o]

there's something sociopathic/ psychopathic about inflicting misery and pain on people when you don't need to and without a reason...Vennells was gaining pleasure from it, evil?

[@srp01983]

Crichton has already been up in front of the Enquiry. I would think with this additional evidence that she will be called again. I’m looking forward to seeing Vennels,getting questioned. I do hope it is Jason Beer who gets this job - he is very good at highlighting liars and shysters.

[@jimmorrissey9392]

@@user-ce1ol8bj7o You are absolutely right! This is so eveil, it can only be that is gives them pleasure doing it.

[@outlaw6421]

Emails have also come out about vennels wanting the mp's shut up!!!!! As well as the JFSP!!!!!!!!!!

[@stephenaustin3026]

@@srp01983 Perhaps they can also bring back Mandy Talbot, and ask her if any of the recent revelations have improved her memory at all.

[@Farzocalypse21]

If you make a mistake in your job you're disciplined, possibly fired, possibly lose wages. If you're in the CEO class and you cost people their livelihoods, they end up in jail, in some cases their lives; you get a big fat paycheck, on the honours list and moved on to the next highly paid job. The problems in this country are that hard working people are continually screwed over by those in power.

[@chrisstone8560]

Absolutely

[@Hartley_Hare]

'The CEO class' sums it up perfectly.

[@StimParavane]

She's a woman so there is little chance of her going to prison in this feminist society.

[@headswillroll89]

It's the same worldwide, just over 4000 billionaires worldwide, and they are trying to put themselves in the a new class. Matter of time before people stop eating each other and turn to the fat piggys that are the billionaire class

[@kirstyfaulds8640]

And who do you think will be expected to pay the compensation, definitely not them it will be the hard working taxpayers who get to pick up the tab

[@sierraalphaalphabravo9705]

Stop the public enquiry now. Criminal charges must be brought.

[@martindoman7315]

They're all hiding behind the enquiry procedure. Time for criminal proceedings.

[@hughbaker4997]

Welll said!

[@Nick-kb6jd]

I hope no one is surpirsed to find out that sociopathy is a prerequisite to being a CEO of a large corporation.

[@_Blaze3]

Sickening! They knew, and they did nothing about it!

[@noelfleming3567]

They must be held to account all their assets should be frozen pending court cases this is a disgrace 😢😢

[@enyanyea4226]

that isn't so. They did lots to hide it and avoid being found out and to silence those trying to get to the truth

[@martinryan8101]

But they did do something about it. They covered it up and lied to anyone who asked.

[@marieogara1036]

They did what lawyers like this get paid a fortune to do --- just make the problem go away. Then use skillfully crafted words to "Brief on a needs to know as little as possible" to skirt truth within the LAW. Justice means nothing to corporate lawyers -- just a word, not LAW. Destroyed lives mean less than nothing. Any legal action will take at least another 10 years to get to a court, if ever.

[@kirstyfaulds8640]

They should add up all the sentences passed down to the sub postmasters and divide them between those who instigated this scandal and make the liars serve every second the postmasters served in prison

[@johncodling9805]

I bet Paula Venals is still in receipt of her enormous pension.that should be stopped immediately

[@honorw4125]

This isnt just perverting the cause of justice but manslaughter of those innocent post office workers who died because of this betrayal 😢

[@davidloveday8473]

I don't understand, who was covertly changing the subpostmasters accounts, and why? Is the allegation that there were rogue Fujistu employees who were just randomly screwing with the figures? If so, why on earth would Post Office leadership not immediately call in the police instead of commencing a cover up?

[@skh5580]

There was a comment from neil marshall. IT people needs access to the data if there is a problem with the data. If there is a bug in the computer program resulting in wrong data. Some times the only way to fix the data is by going into the database and manually fix it. If that is the case, the sub postmaster should have been told.

[@davidloveday8473]

@@skh5580 thank you. So the follow-up question is, are people concerned that IT went in and illegally changed the data when it didn't need changing? (And if so, why would they do that?) Or that IT failed to correct errors in the data when they should have done (e.g. errors initially generated by flaws in the system)? Or that IT did go in and change errors in the data when they should have done, but the data IT put in was wrongly calculated too?

[@skh5580]

@@davidloveday8473 Do not know. If sub post masters were not notify then most likely it was a cover up. The screw up figures were caused by the faulty software. The legit way of dealing with faulty software is admit the problem, fix it, test the solution, let the users know.

[@rick4580]

I'd be concerned that people higher up than tech support could access the accounts and they're the ones behind the coverup.

[@Keenasalways]

“…the Post Office is committed to finding the truth”, so they can bury it deeper.

[@corvus1238]

Thank you channel 4 for doing the work that the other legacy media should be doing.

[@Palmit_]

bbc won't - they are very much the propaganda mouth piece of gov and are pro corruption and embargo. ch4 reporting has is own dirty laundry however. mention embargo and they won't say a thing, inline with gov policy. corruption.

[@elpeltys]

Sorry, but all of this was known years ago. I knew pretty much everything that is being presented as "coming to light" now as far back as before covid without even having to dig for it. Channel 4 must have known all of this but chose, or were told and agreed, not to report it. They are as culpable as anybody else and are a disgrace. They are only reporting it now because, for some reason (I'll leave you to decide why) it's now being pushed to the fore where in the past it was actively ignored. Channel 4 are no white knights here.

[@kempshott]

Computer Weekly and Private Eye have been on the case for many years.

[@captain007x]

BBC must be in the pockets of the Tories.

[@andydudley1775]

yes ty from me 2 also sorry for mad nads no ones claiming her .

[@sn4rff]

it just gets worse and worse 🤬

[@kirishima638]

Tip of the iceberg. This country is rotten to the core.

[@craigmclaren6320]

We all need to keep up the pressure to this news so to encourage the Police Commissioner that it's in the greater public interest to dispense with the on-going enquiry and charge these criminals led by Paula Vennells. The evidence released up till now is incontrovertible!

[@pastyman001]

Not only Vennals, but others in Post Office and Fujitsu need to go down for this. They can't wriggle out of it now. It's an easy prosecution

[@russellingham2069]

Put her in Prison

[@StimParavane]

She's a woman so there is little chance of her going to prison in this feminist society.

[@brianlopez8855]

She should be grateful to reach prison, safely.

[@seanys]

That’s too good for her.

[@rvarsigfusson6163]

IRA did have their own just system and working well.... just to say. Never forget and never forgive.

[@eddouglas]

You can't knowingly let people spend years in prison and have their lives ruined just to protect a corporate bottom line. That's disgusting. She needs prison time - especially if she's misled polie or a court decision.

[@bookofshadows2755]

Or of course a Select Committee.

[@razachaswills5076]

I doubt it was done to improve the bottom line of the accounts. Surely it went to someone with very large back pockets?

[@eddouglas]

@@razachaswills5076 same thing. profits up = bigger bonuses for the top brass

[@ceesjanmol]

Yes, they can. Because you Islanders are all sheep

[@Eyespy743]

I bet Vennells thought by jettisoning her CBE at the earliest opportunity she’d be off the hook. Wrong!

[@InAMinMaths]

You can see why she did it so fast - she knew this was all coming.

[@Dude-etiquette]

Isn’t there consequences for lying-at parliamentary committees?

[@MZig-rw7su]

The Police should be immediately arresting all those implicated here. Justice must be done.

[@robhayes6121]

The police is management government run, this is where the corruption problem is.

[@JamesEJAtkins]

The police should be arrested for not arresting Vennals.

[@andydudley1775]

i seen more judgment from you tube comming for our reactions so not to hurt poor puals's feeling .you know so it does not hurt their brand.

[@edcoad4930]

The public enquiry should stopped and criminal case opened. The public know they were utterly contemptuous of sub post masters and the whole organisation needs to be locked up.

[@tristamprice534]

I understand the Police are investigating in parallel with the Inquiry.

[@edcoad4930]

@tristamprice534 agreed. But the waste of public money seems somewhat wasteful now. These people are just crooks and need the same judgement (albeit just) as they imposed on others from their ivory tower.

[@andydudley1775]

@@tristamprice534 why is she not on remand .boroness miss mone might aswell turn sails and pic her up.

[@sbeasley1785]

Just how utterly EVIL must a person be to DELIBERATELY allow people to go to prison for long periods KNOWING they are innocent? … The level of corruption in our top echelons of society is horrifying.

[@graemehancocks4171]

Disgraceful. Vennells et al should be facing criminal charges.

[@corvus1238]

She's part of the elite (private education) she won't face any charges.

[@paulb3303]

Susan Crichton said quite clearly that the scope of the investigation was not to look at whether there had been a miscarriage of justice. “She’s looking for … systemic weakness in the Horizon system.” Well surely the ability to alter branch accounts without disclosing that to the sub postmaster is a fundamental systemic weakness in the system. All changes should have an audit trail of who altered them, why and when. Without that the system is weak. The sub-text I am hearing is that Paula Vennells wanted another whitewash inquiry. Spend some money on some external auditors who won’t poke too deeply into the workings of the system so we can say it’s all hunky dory.

[@alistairbaird3711]

Susan Crichton should answer for her 'professional silence' Guilty as well. Fujitsu should never have another contract in the UK

[@thegreenmanofnorwich]

I do wonder if a complaint has been made to the Solicitors' Regulation Authority.

[@alistairbaird3711]

@@thegreenmanofnorwich She certainly sounded worried in those tapes.... not worried enough apparently £££

[@barrydavies5143]

Fujitsu,I believe , now have a contract with the Tax office for a system for their computers! What on earth is this government up to?

[@margaretyoung4679]

To late our government have already issued a massive contract to Fujitsu to set up our digital operations Hart to imagine that lot being trusted to set up anything .

[@stevebailey5591]

Vennells needs to do time.

[@dolceanstar]

and her assets confiscated

[@mikegleed5842]

Didn't she get a £2,000,000 Bonus or something ridiculous?

[@Smiger00na]

I’m watching this and getting angrier by the second. Why aren’t Vennels and here senior executives being questioned by police? She personally received £2,000,000+ in performance related bonuses alone during the same time she was misleading parliament and sanctioning the continued wrongful prosecution of sub-postmasters. At the very least, her assets ought to be frozen and the question of corporate manslaughter charges seriously considered. 😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬

[@stevedrane2364]

Brilliant Channel 4 . . Keep up your excellent journalism. . As at the present time you are the only new outlet seeking the truth. Thank you.

[@StoreyR]

Prison for Paula! If she and her accomplices don't go to prison, then I've lost all faith in the justice system.

[@andydudley1775]

most be do when they gone to court watch the farce and see .it only matters about how you say things not what realy taken place .written such a way only the realy rich get the right access too.

[@macangus123]

Vennals needs some serious jail time.She is a vile individual.

[@John-ks6si]

You misspelled evil.

[@nickcoppard5335]

If I comment my true feelings you tube will strike me off

[@willie2761]

Shes not the only one. What about Fujitsu ?

[@John-ks6si]

@@willie2761 Agreed that Fujitsu has culpability as well, but surely the onus was on the Post Office to hold its supplier's feet to the fire on matters that could affect the lives of its subpostmasters?

[@cashfordoughnuts]

@@John-ks6si Do you mean "vile" or "Vennells"?

[@kyaume21]

If this wasn't a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, on the part of the Post Office bosses, then I don't know what is.

[@Billywoo12]

If the Post Office would have defrauded wealthy investors, many would have faced charges and would have been prosecuted about a decade ago. The fact they ruined the lives of 'average,' hard working folk is a shocking reflection of UK politics and the justice system.

[@user-gn7cm6db2d]

Of course she knew.

[@nickwalter9630]

We all knew that she knew, but now there is evidence that she knew. Criminal charges have to be brought. Now.

[@jingshelpmaboab]

Fantastic work, Channel 4 News. This should be the final nail in the Post Office management coffin... but will it? Accountability of senior people in the UK is a joke - that's for the little people.

[@paullepine4765]

That's so true - Alison Rose/NatWest.

[@victoriajones8747]

Shame on her and her lies and deceit. How can she show her face after her evil behavior ?!

[@deanmartin9358]

they should be made accountable for this

[@kidneystone53]

"The Post Office is committed to finding the truth"....they have known the truth for many years.

[@pinballrobbie]

More like committed to obscuring the truth.

[@johncooper8040]

The post office lost the truth down the back of the sofa, no big deal.

[@emjayay]

Typical corporate public relations speech. No PR pronouncements should ever be believed in any way. They are just skillfully crafted nonsense at best.

[@Setinmywaysalways]

Time now for the Met to act, to restore Public Faith, so that those responsible will be held to account. The Law Society should now also open an investigation against Susan Crichton to open the way for her to be Disbarred.

[@michaelmcginley7930]

These bastards will escape jail.thats why the british public should not obey the law any longer

[@michaelmcginley7930]

Disbarred .20 years in jail more like

[@michaelmcginley7930]

Thr police are currupt of the dont charge these people.met police should be disbanded if they dont

[@MrBubba311]

The rich and powerful rarely face justice. So often they just get to resign or pay a fine and everybody pretends that it's all good.

[@brianlopez8855]

The Law Society and the SRA will do F"ck all about this.

[@alexc4300]

Been following this from afar since it popped in my feed one day. Occurs to me that if Fujitsu employees were able to change figures on subpostmasters’ live accounts WITH NO AUDIT RECORD, what was to stop them moving money into a collaborator’s account and splitting the money? They could even hide the transfers afterwards. Or how hard would it be to send themselves postal orders or something? Needs to be thorough investigation as to where all this money went, too. Senior managers who knew of the possibility but kept prosecuting anyway need to go to jail. Employees who shifted funds incorrectly need to go to jail. The fact this is still going on and the Post Office STILL isn’t compensating the victims in the face of already overwhelming evidence speaks to ongoing injustice.

[@user-zq8qp3eg5n]

Exactly my own thoughts ! Where did the money end up ??? was it a gang of IT/ Hitmen, ? were the gestapo investigators involved ?? Is this the source of the bonus??

[@alantarr3115]

Why oh why, are these so called 'top executives' not being charged? Throw them all in jail and hide the key. It is a disgrace.

[@user-cz1pk8ru2j]

Great journalism C4!

[@Musicmyvideo]

Why hasn't Vennells been arrested?

[@brianlopez8855]

She has friends in high places no doubt.

[@bookofshadows2755]

She is chums with the Archbishop of Canterbury.

[@bastogne315]

Good mates with powerful Tory grandees.

[@SuperMickyChow]

Because she's protected

[@Kotch111]

The rich cover up for one another. I remember one saying to me “Because you never know when it will happen to you.” The crime doesn’t even matter, they look after one another regardless. Saville, anyone?

[@wheater5]

I said some years back that this whole thing was an obvious travesty of justice. Of secondary importance, when it’s all over, it’s the public who are going to have to compensate the post masters. My son runs his own business and he has very recently been told by the PO that his parcel postage costs are to be tripled. We’re all going to suffer.

[@rachelsullivan1277]

Thanks to the people who helped make it possible to bring this to the forefront me and a lot of people never even knew about it hope justice is done ❤

[@Spitfire67UK]

Throw away the key for all involved

[@noelfleming3567]

👍👏👏

[@richardshepherd5552]

What key they wont be going anywhere you muppet

[@samrowbotham8914]

Why have they not all been arrested and put before the Crown Courts we cannot have Laws for one section of society and Laws for another section that will only lead to chaos.

[@michaelmcginley7930]

Correct if they sre not arrested soon then i think we should all disregard the law when it comes to financial crimes.dont pay any debt etc.why should we obey the law when the rich and powerful get a get out of jail card

[@samrowbotham8914]

@@michaelmcginley7930 Those of us who have studied law understand the blue-eyed baby fallacy we know about the following statements made by England's top judges. People are forgetting our forefathers left us with Constitutions that are there to stop those entrusted with our good governance do not abuse the powers we the Sovereign people invest in them: Chief Justice of the Common Pleas William Beresford 1306-1326 ruled, “there is no such thing as a bad law for if it is bad it is not law”. Chief Justice Stonor of the Common Pleas 1329-1331 ruled, “law is that which is right”. Chief Justice Sir Edward Coke of the Kings Bench 1616-1628 ruled, “Parliament may pass a law which is beyond common right and reason, is repugnant or impossible to perform; in which case, the common law will intercede and strike it down”.

[@kyaume21]

So should Fujitsu not be charged with the crime of multiple cases of false accounting - on other people's accounts?

[@andipeters743]

A whole bunch of them should be in custody RIGHT NOW. Any prevarication or delay on the matter shows complicitness at the highest level.

[@_Ben4810]

I am forever stunned that in a multi-billion pound company like the Post Office, the General Counsel seems to be someone more professionaly suited to be sitting on a small village parish council....

[@JoelJoel321]

Underrated comment.

[@brianlopez8855]

Over promoted diversity hire.

[@paulb3303]

Small village parish councils are run by people with morals, ethics and for the benefit of the people in that area. Not qualities possessed by the Post Office management, lawyers or investigators. I am totally stunned by the lack of moral compass of these people ploughing on to hide the truth and ruin more and more lives just to make the Post Office appear profitable. As Alan Bates said “Sell it to Amazon for a pound.”

[@muffyjohnson7458]

The problem with DEI hires I say that as a woman

[@JoelJoel321]

@@muffyjohnson7458 Doesn't seem that diverse from all the other idiots in charge.

[@headswillroll89]

So submasters went to jail, but no post office or Fujitsu employees have... seems really fair

[@ceesjanmol]

It's how fairness works in the UK. Tories supplying worthless PPE and making millions. Postmasters having their lives ruined for committing absolutely nu crime whatsoever.

[@philthrelfall5294]

This sad, sad saga goes beyond the Post Office senior management. It hits at the heart of the sense of entitlement that runs through most of the executive business community & political classes in the UK. They really just want the difficult problems of the 'little people' to "go away". There is little interest in fixing real problems, or creating genuine benefit, just in a pursuit of the trappings of power & prestige.

[@roybatty2030]

The personification of evil. An example must be made.

[@dominicbaggott3525]

I think it's time to call this as criminal activity by the post office and those in charge

[@neilmarshall2315]

As an ex-programmer, I cannot understand how any computer system would not have access to the program and database to allow them to fix bugs. It simply doesn’t happen that ever. There maybe a special secure room for this access, with additional constraints on who, why and when people are allowed in, but the programmer access must exist for any system to work.

[@grahamf695]

Yes, I agree. It would be inconceivable to operate a network of 11,500 branches without remote access. That is standard practice in banks and retailers. Provided you have the right level of privileged access, you can change anything. If a database gets corrupted in some way, you have to be able to repair or recover it.

[@misterbonzoid5623]

Exactly. The naivety of people ever believing otherwise is amazing.

[@bookofshadows2755]

Yes and the access must be logged. I’m an ex process engineer. I just cannot fathom how Horizon went through Gate 4. It couldn’t have been fit for purpose. It simply could not have passed Gate 3 given what we know! Questions I would ask are; who owned Gate 3 and Gate 4 at Fujitsu? Who owned Gate 5?

[@paulb3303]

That access should have been logged and disclosed. There should be audit trail for everything. Any auditors or investigators and the sub postmaster should have access to the logs of who changed what and why. Without that there is no transparency or trust.

[@tommy1273]

@@bookofshadows2755I’m interested what these Gates refer to. Thanks!

[@seanmoyses]

Excellent journalism

[@chrisfell5073]

This continues to be the most abhorrent and tragic case of injustice. Not only have no prosecutions by the many perpetrators taken place but also virtually nothing has been repaid to those people who have been wronged. Injustice after injustice. Instead of spending £100's of millions finding out what went wrong pay out the PO subpostmasters. To top it off valid claims are being cut by 60% plus to dalay claims in the expectation that some will die and never see any payment. Cut this nonsense out now and make it a criminal offence to delay payment by the Directors (past and present) with personal fines and 5 years in prison.

[@NmpK24]

In an ideal world she would be on her way to prison right now. But her lawyers will probably argue that the 'bad press' would be taint any jury selection and some minister will say any prosecution 'is not in the public interest' or some other rubbish. All the while many postmasters still haven't been compensated or exonerated for their wrongful convictions. They should all see the inside of a prison cell with her, Fujitsu bosses and politicians too. It's ironic that after the 2008 financial crash, Iceland held 36 bankers accountable and put them all in prison. But what would we do in this country? Probably give 'em a knighthood or a peerage.

[@paulb3303]

I also foresee her lawyers arguing that a fair trial is not possible when everyone in the country is very aware of the circumstances of the crimes. That is unfortunate but the sub postmasters were denied a fair trial because the PO lawyers failed in their duty to the courts to disclose material information for many many years.

[@marybusch6182]

ICELAND ROCKS!

[@pjb2836]

I have said this before, they will string out the enquiry then say she has suffered enough because its gone on for years, resign and now wants to be left alone to spend time with her family The people who suffered, died and were imprisoned will be forgotten and they will say, Sorry, it will not happen again.

[@marybusch6182]

@@pjb2836 our elites look out for themselves.

[@KallePihlajasaari]

@@pjb2836 It is happening again right now. Look at how MP Andrew Bridgen has been treated for speaking out.

[@fusionfan6883]

As well as prosecution and jail time, they should seek to recover the massive bung Vennals received on leaving the PO, and the pay from public roles she went into afterwards, shameful!

[@david1731048]

It's funny isn't it, that we know with 100% certainty that nobody will ever be charged or go to jail over any of this.

[@xanderathome]

"Shut down MPs and make them go away" This sounds like something a mobster would say.

[@beezig]

Just when you thought the post office couldn't sink any lower, unbelievable truly unbelievable, the police need to act now

[@user-bu9nb8wr6e]

It must surely be a criminal offence to know that people could be innocent and yet prosecute them. Its time for people to be charged rather than hide behind its not our fault we were just doing our job.

[@Peter-pf6bz]

These people, who caused this miscarriage of justice, knew what they were doing to these poor people and kept on doing it, causing untold suffering. They were clever enough to be placed in their high positions and should, therefore, suffer the fullest extent of the law and never be allowed to occupy a public position of such trust again. Their disgusting actions have brought the Post Office into disrepute for no other reason than to protect their own reputations.

[@cynicaldodgyknees6248]

Yet still no mention of Adam Crozier, CEO of the Post Office, when this came to light, including the ongoing prosecutions. He went on to become CEO of ITV, now CEO of BT. Still no mention of MP Andrew Bridgen’s tireless campaigning to expose this. I wonder why? Could it be Andrew’s other exposé on events of the past 4 years.

[@cherryrotella3714]

I’m eager to hear what Vennels has to say at the re commencement of the enquiry in April, together with the other so called big bosses

[@Haberdashery22]

I'm hoping she's having sleepless night after sleepless night, feeling the pressure.

[@richardcole9558]

Paula Vennals , Crichton and the whole of the post office need prosecuting , sadly like most of these scandals it will be pushed into the long grass until everyone is retired or dead , as for the Met police interceding you’d have more chance to teach a fish to walk .Another Hillsborough ..

[@duesbury2]

Prison for her is this only way. 10 years minimum

[@custossecretus5737]

Watch this get to a point where the bosses won’t face trial because it’s been revealed in the public domain and they won’t receive a fair trial.

[@MrBubba311]

Next week the inquiry resumes. Will be a must watch.

[@BanjoLuke1]

I understand the vehemence of the ire aimed at Vennels. Clearly she was at best deeply incompetent. She may also (when one considers how bonuses were earned) be judged avaricious beyond measure. She seems also to lack anything even resembling humanity. Perhaps none of those is a crime. I do not know. She seems a person quite unsuited for a senior leadership role in a large corporation, but was both given one and given an honour for the way she performed in it. That seems ludicrous. She was also (and this seems beyond satire) both ordained onto the Anglican Church and considered for a senior post as a bishop therein. Given what we know about her... (know, not suspect) both the honour bestowed and the ordination seem grotesquely beyond even the darkest fiction. I do not clamour for a jail term. That is a matter for the judiciary. However, wide public ridicule and lasting humiliation seem in order. What she did was deeply, profoundly, deliberately horrid and cruel. Ordained ministers are supposed not to be avaricious, cruel or inhumane. She was all three - and more besides. So... Public ridicule and humiliation please. Thank you. 😮

[@bobsanders9500]

The police are always reluctant to prosecute complex or difficult cases where a conviction is not assured. The SPMs would be best to mount a Civil action against the Post Office and Fujitsu - and their respective senior managers. Doing so will mean that they have control over the proceedings, the bar to conviction is lower than in a criminal case, and they can sue for compensation (damages) and costs. They'll be waiting forever for the police to even start a proper investigation let alone a prosecution.

[@hreader]

Has St Paula of Vennells resigned from the priesthood yet? If she ends up flung in jail then so be it. Time to end the system of one law for little people and another, more lenient, for Big People. If Big People break the criminal law they should go to jail just like little folk.

[@etiennedubois4050]

Britain at it's best.

[@dh1380]

With the way the world is these days we should find some solace in the fact that this stuff can even be reported on. That said, justice should be done and probably won't.

[@Steve-nu4sv]

Ministers are suggesting "Sanctions" I think most people would suggest investigated, charged, tried and if convicted sentenced appropriately. As for Post Office Investigators and anyone else involved in securing convictions ought to be subject to the same fate. I worked for an accounting software company for years. We had remote access to client systems but if anyone had asked for figures and balances to be adjusted our response would have been NO!

[@skysurferuk]

10 years jail. No parole.🤬

[@splatten8597]

Could she have committed perjury?

[@marksavage1108]

She did, its on camera at the select committee hearing. Her on film lying is Ed Daveys only defense,

[@StimParavane]

Perjury hardly ever gets prosecuted.

[@marksavage1108]

@@StimParavane Her perjury was extended into a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, you dont bother prosecuting the lesser charges.

[@user-ey6rc1uo3i]

Fujitsu are as deeply involved in this as the P.O. They should be forced to pay compensation to all affected.

[@jamessmith84240]

I bet she still gets away with it. The kicker is I bet she was probably involved with where all that missing money went too.

[@michaelvout7813]

That disgraceful woman should go to jail for the harm she caused.

[@Deed938]

I’ve heard that people have lost their lives because of her and Fujitsu employees lies. There should be legal repercussions for guilt by association for man slaughter and assets seized as proceeds of crime.