PO Scandal

[stockton]

Having listened to the program it really does not seem to be getting through to lawyers that computer evidence alone cannot be relied on, and that there is no easy fix for that problem. Sometimes the court case may occur simply because the computer was wrong or misleading.

[cinelli]

There was a moment of supreme irony at the inquiry last Friday. Rod Ismay, trying to explain why he didn’t report his knowledge of remote access of Horizon to senior members of the Post Office, complained that he had been provided with too many documents. Counsel Jason Beer replied:

“Yes, apologies for the number of documents. In the Inquiry, we like to give people full disclosure.”

Cinelli

[Alaric]

Having listened to the program it really does not seem to be getting through to lawyers that computer evidence alone cannot be relied on, and that there is no easy fix for that problem. Sometimes the court case may occur simply because the computer was wrong or misleading.

It needs to get through to MPs as well as the law was changed in around 1999 to presume that the computer software was always working correctly. Before that, a defence could claim that the software or hardware were faulty and the prosecution had to denonstrate reliability. Admittedly this change shortened speed camera and drink driving trials.

[stewamax]

Aficionados of these proceedings will remember that Horizon's 'bugs, errors and defects' were renamed 'anomalies' after Ms Vennells asked her husband for wording less emotive.
Leading Counsel Jason Beer KC drove home the inanity of this when the Inquiry's document display system crashed temporarily when switching from one type of document to another. He suggested a 5-minute break saying that 'we seem to have a bug in the system, or perhaps an anomaly'.

[stewamax]

This three-day feast will celebrate the martyrdom of Saint Paula of Po

[stewamax]

The best bit today was not Vennells' histrionics, but at the very end (2:07:06 onwards) the last question by Chairman Wyn William: "Why" - that totally floored her.

[GoSeigen]

The best bit today was not Vennells' histrionics, but at the very end (2:07:06 onwards) the last question by Chairman Wyn William: "Why" - that totally floored her.

Please link to the content you are referring to.

Thanks

GS

[Mike4]

The best bit today was not Vennells' histrionics, but at the very end (2:07:06 onwards) the last question by Chairman Wyn William: "Why" - that totally floored her.

Not having heard the programme, could you perhaps expand on why the question "Why?" "totally floored her" please?

Thanks!

[staffordian]

I can't help thinking the Lord must be looking down favourably on Paula Vennels.

I can't help thinking that the news reports covering her appearance today will no longer be as prominent or as in depth as most people thought it would be...

[Mike4]

I can't help thinking the Lord must be looking down favourably on Paula Vennels.

I can't help thinking that the news reports covering her appearance today will no longer be as prominent or as in depth as most people thought it would be...

It was her breaking into tears and needing a break to "compose herself" before continuing wot dunnit.

Made her come across as almost human, I thought. Mebbe our Dear Lord was taken in by it too.

[stewamax]

Sorry for not providing a link - I have tended to assume that Inquiry 'regulars' know where to look.
Today's episode is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGAi6lqaORE

To summarise my point: immediately before Ms Vennells appeared before the Parliamentary Select Committee, she had been given a brief of how to respond to questions about the PO or Fujitsu having remote and undetectable access to a sub-postmaster's account. The brief was in three parts - roughly:
- a straightforward answer "remote changing or deleting transactions was impossible"
- if pushed, then some more only slightly embarassing explanation
- if still pushed, then a guarded admission that Fujitsu could ADD a transaction to balance the books (if a Horizon error had screwed them up)

Vennells had at various times denied that there was any attempt at a cover-up.
So Chairman Wyn Williams, who was clearly interested in why there was a need for a brief structured with such temporising and prevarication simply asked - given that there was no attempt at cover-up - Why?
Vennells just stopped dead with her mouth half open and with no response whatever.

Urbane and extremely well-prepared Leading Counsel Jason Beer KC never raised his voice but led her gently into lethal minefields of questions for which she had no cogent answer.