Latest news with #DavidMills
RNZ News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
UK Post Office scandal led to 13 suspected suicides, says report setting out toll
By Paul Sandle , Reuters Former Post Office Ltd chief executive David Mills arrives to give evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry in central London in April last year. Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS Thirteen people may have taken their own lives and others were bankrupted or became seriously ill as a result of Britain's Post Office scandal, a public inquiry found overnight, laying bare the toll of one of the country's worst miscarriages of justice. Inquiry chair Wyn Williams said on Tuesday (local time) he was satisfied that executives at the state-owned Post Office knew, or should have known, that its computer system was prone to errors, yet they publicly maintained the fiction it was accurate. From 2000-2013, the Post Office pursued branch managers, known as subpostmasters, for losses that appeared in their accounts but were caused by flaws in an IT system supplied by Japanese company Fujitsu. About 1000 people were convicted. Public outrage about the scandal mounted last year after a TV dramatisation of the case, "Mr Bates vs the Post Office", which led to legislation to exonerate those convicted. In the 162-page first volume of his report, Williams called for urgent action to ensure "full and fair" compensation for victims. His recommendations included free legal advice and compensation for family members. He said it was impossible to ascertain exactly how many people had been impacted, but said there were about 10,000 eligible claimants across four compensation schemes. "Many thousands of people have suffered serious financial detriment," he said in a speech after the publication. "Many businesses and homes have been lost, bankruptcies have occurred, marriages and families have been wrecked." "Tragically, I heard too of people whom it is said that they were driven to take their own lives," he added. Detailing 17 first-hand accounts, Williams said suffering ranged from those held liable for small amounts of money to those who were wrongly imprisoned, fell seriously ill or were driven to despair and suicide. Postmaster Martin Griffiths was given notice of termination of his contract in 2013 after shortfalls in his accounts. He then deliberately walked in front of a bus, suffering multiple injuries which caused his death at the age of 59. Following a request from the inquiry, the Post Office identified six former postmasters whose families said they had taken their own lives. A further seven people who were not postmasters had also taken their own lives as a consequence of false shortfalls, according to their families, the report said. Others suffered mental and physical health problems, bankruptcy and relationship breakdowns. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the publication of the report was an important milestone for subpostmasters and their families. "I am committed to ensuring wronged subpostmasters are given full, fair, and prompt redress," he said. The inquiry has held 226 days of hearings and has questioned 298 witnesses. The second volume of the final report, which will include the role of the Post Office, will be published in due course. - Reuters
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Survey exposes what women really think about their partner's penis size - and most say they are not satisfied
A shock survey reveals that the vast majority of female participants are not satisfied by how endowed their partners are. Of those asked, nine in 10 said they wished their man had a bigger penis. The most desirable erect length was 7.5in - about 50 per cent larger than the average member amongst men in the U.S. and UK, which was between 5in and 5.5in. The survey by Moorgate Andrology Clinic, which performs penis enlargements in the UK, found the desire for larger was true for women aged 18 years old to those in their mid-60s. Moorgate's David Mills said: 'To find that women want around seven and a half inches with a bigger-than-average girth reinforces what we've known for years, we just haven't had the proof until now. 'It confirms that overall women are not telling the truth if they say penis size isn't a factor.' The results would surely sting the up to 50 per cent of men in those nations who reported feeling self-conscious about the size of their penis. Mills believed the new study could lead to an increase in penis enlargement surgeries, and it might also help women feel more open about talking to their partners about their satisfaction. Urology specialists at Moorgate said: 'The subject of penis size is becoming less and less taboo and studies, such as the one we have launched, will also help in this respect. It is about body image and confidence. 'Having a small penis can really affect men, giving them low self-esteem, making it difficult for them to have relationships, and stopping them enjoying a normal life.' For the research, 180 women were shown 27 'life-like' models of penises, varying in size, from 2in to 10in while erect. The women were asked: 'What is the smallest sexual partner you've ever had? What is your current partner's size? What is the biggest you have seen? and what would be your ideal size for sex?' About 90 per cent said they wanted their partner to be larger than their actual size, with an average length of 7.5in. Of those, 40 per cent said they wanted their partners to have more girth. Moorgate's Mills said: 'By starting these conversations, we want to make penis enlargement surgery as acceptable as breast enlargement is. 'This is the start of some serious medical research that we are undertaking.' Penis enlargement surgery is an increasingly popular procedure performed via several different methods. Some physicians took fat from other areas of the body and injected it into the organ, while others used fillers under the skin. Doctors might also cut the suspensory ligament that connects the penis to the pubic bone to make it hang lower and seem longer while flaccid. Recent research suggested male enhancement procedures such as these had increased in the U.S. over 250 per cent between 2019 and 2022. While bigger seemed better, more length and girth could also prove painful for some women. Anywhere from five to 17 per cent of American women had vaginismus, a condition where the vagina tightened when something's inserted into it. Also, women going through menopause had a thinner vaginal lining due to a lack of estrogen, which could make sex more painful, especially with a larger penis.
Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE What women really think in bed as ladies rank their partners below the belt
The vast majority of women are not satisfied by how endowed their partners are, according to a shock survey. Nine in 10 said they wished their man was bigger below the belt. The most desirable length was 7.5 inches - about 50 percent bigger than the average penis of American and British men, which is between five and 5.5 inches while erect. Th survey, by Moorgate Andrology Clinic, a sexual cosmetic clinic in the UK, found the desire for bigger was true for women 18 years old through their mid-60s. David Mills, managing director of Moorgate, said: 'To find that women want around seven and a half inches with a bigger-than-average girth reinforces what we've known for years, we just haven't had the proof until now. 'It confirms that overall women are not telling the truth if they say penis size isn't a factor.' The results will sting the up to 50 percent of US and UK men who men report feeling self-conscious about the size of their penis. Mills said the new study shows size may matter more than women let on and believes the findings could lead to an increase in penis enlargement surgeries, as well as help women feel open about talking to their partners about their satisfaction. The urology specialists at the clinic said: 'The subject of penis size is becoming less and less taboo and studies such as the one we have launched will also help in this respect. It is about body image and confidence. 'Having a small penis can really affect men, giving them low self-esteem, making it difficult for them to have relationships and stopping them enjoying a normal life.' For the research, 180 women were shown 27 'life-like' models of penises varying in size — from two to 10 inches while erect. The women were asked four questions: What is the smallest sexual partner you've ever had?; What is your current partner's size?; What is the biggest you have seen?; and what would be your ideal size for sex? About 90 percent said they wanted their partner's penis to be larger than its actual size, with an average length of 7.5 inches. Of those, 40 percent said they wanted their partners to have more girth. Mills said: 'By starting these conversations we want to make penis enlargement surgery as acceptable as breast enlargement is. 'This is the start of some serious medical research that we are undertaking.' Penis enlargement surgery is an increasingly popular procedure done via several different methods. Some physicians take fat from other areas of the body and inject it into the organ, while others use fillers under the skin. Doctors may also cut the suspensory ligament that connects the penis to the pubic bone, making it hang lower and seem longer while flaccid. Recent research suggests male enhancement procedures like these have increased over 250 percent between 2019 and 2022 in the US. While bigger seems better, more length and girth could be painful for some women. Anywhere from five to 17 percent of American women have vaginismus, a condition in which the vagina tightens when something is inserted into it. Women who go through menopause also have a thinner vaginal lining due to a lack of estrogen, which can make sex more painful, especially with a larger penis.
