Latest news with #PaulaVennells
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
First Post Office inquiry report stops short of attributing blame
The first tranche of the Post Office inquiry's final report has stopped short of attributing blame for the scandal. The chairman of the probe Sir Wyn Williams said the human impact of the Horizon saga 'should be placed at the forefront' of his final report and it was important to publish his conclusions on that issue as soon as possible. Sir Wyn elected to make his findings on the compensation processes and the devastating impact the scandal had on subpostmasters on Tuesday. His conclusions on who was at fault for overseeing the scandal are expected in the coming months. That report is expected to scrutinise the role of Post Office bosses who oversaw the scandal, including former priest Paula Vennells. Ms Vennells previously told the inquiry she was 'too trusting' and had 'no sense there was any conspiracy at all', but also admitted she made 'mistakes'. The first tranche did tease what his overarching conclusions would include, saying Post Office bosses should have known Horizon was faulty but 'maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate'. In the introduction of his report, Sir Wyn said: 'I have formed the view… that the impact upon those affected, the 'human impact', should be placed at the forefront of my report to the minister. 'That is why I have decided to publish this volume of my report as soon as it was completed rather than wait for the whole of my report to be ready for publication. 'It also seemed to me to be natural to combine my description of the suffering endured by so many with my assessments of, and conclusions about, the attempts by the Post Office, the minister and the Department to provide redress to those affected which is 'full, fair and prompt'.'
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Post Office bosses ‘maintained fiction' Horizon was accurate, inquiry concludes
Post Office bosses should have known Horizon was faulty but 'maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate' when prosecuting subpostmasters, the first tranche of a public inquiry's final report has concluded. Chairman Sir Wyn Williams said 'a number of senior' people at the organisation were aware the system, known as Legacy Horizon, was capable of error up until it was changed in 2010, with a number of employees also aware the updated system, Horizon Online, also had bugs and defects. A total of 59 victims of the Horizon scandal contemplated suicide with 10 attempting to take their own lives, Sir Wyn's final report concluded. He said there was a 'real possibility' 13 people took their own lives as a result of the suffering they endured during the scandal. Sir Wyn said around 10,000 people are eligible to submit compensation claims following what has been dubbed as the worst miscarriage of justice in British legal history. Lead campaigner and former subpostmistress Jo Hamilton said the report 'shows the full scale of the horror that they unleashed on us'. The scandal was propelled into the spotlight in January last year following the airing of ITV's drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, starring actor Toby Jones about Sir Alan Bates, former sub-postmaster and founder of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance. Ex-Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells is accused of overseeing a huge number of wrongful prosecutions and convictions, and was in post at the time Sir Wyn said bosses should have known Horizon was faulty. The chairman's 162-page report criticised the 'unnecessarily adversarial attitude' of the Post Office and its advisers towards making compensation offers to victims and that the organisation and the Government 'simply failed to grasp how difficult it would be to provide appropriate financial redress.' Approximately 1,000 people were wrongly prosecuted and convicted throughout the UK between 1999 and 2015 as a result of faulty Fujitsu software, with a significant number contemplating self-harm, the report said. Sir Wyn also singled out the behaviour of Post Office investigators, saying subpostmasters 'will have been in wholly unfamiliar territory and they will have found the experience to be troubling at best and harrowing at worst'. The publication of the first tranche of the report on Tuesday focused solely on the devastating impact of the scandal on victims and the compensation offered to subpostmasters, with a further report potentially attributing blame expected at a later date. Teasing his conclusions for the final overarching report, which is still likely to be some months away, Sir Wyn said: 'Although many of the individuals who gave evidence before me were very reluctant to accept it, I am satisfied from the evidence that I have heard that a number of senior, and not-so-senior employees of the Post Office knew or, at the very least should have known, that Legacy Horizon was capable of error. 'Yet for all practical purposes, throughout the lifetime of Legacy Horizon, the Post Office maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate.' Sir Wyn made a total of 19 recommendations as part of his report, including that the Government and the Post Office should make a public announcement about what they mean by 'full and fair redress'. In a statement issued after the publication of the report, Sir Wyn said he is 'critical' of the Post Office and the Government for the 'development and evolution' of the compensation schemes. He also said the main scheme, the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS), had been subjected to 'egregious delays'. In his recommendations, Sir Wyn said claimants who apply for compensation as part of HSS, should be entitled to free legal advice. The chairman also addressed criticism of another scheme, the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, saying claimants should be entitled to the £600,000 fixed offer even if they submit their own detailed individual claim. Sir Wyn urged the Government to establish a public body to devise, administer and deliver compensation to those wronged by authorities. The report said the number of people eligible to submit compensation claims as part of the scandal is likely to rise 'by at least hundreds, if not more, over the coming months'. In a statement, the Post Office said: 'The inquiry has brought to life the devastating stories of those impacted by the Horizon Scandal. 'Their experiences represent a shameful period in our history. 'Today, we apologise unreservedly for the suffering which Post Office caused to postmasters and their loved ones. 'We will carefully consider the report and its recommendations.'
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Post Office bosses ‘maintained fiction' Horizon was accurate, inquiry concludes
Post Office bosses should have known Horizon was faulty but 'maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate' when prosecuting subpostmasters, the first tranche of a public inquiry's final report has concluded. Chairman Sir Wyn Williams said 'a number of senior' people at the organisation were aware the system, known as Legacy Horizon, was capable of error up until it was changed in 2010, with a number of employees also aware the updated system, Horizon Online, also had bugs and defects. A total of 59 victims of the Horizon scandal contemplated suicide with 10 attempting to take their own lives, Sir Wyn's final report concluded. He said there was a 'real possibility' 13 people took their own lives as a result of the suffering they endured during the scandal. Sir Wyn said around 10,000 people are eligible to submit compensation claims following what has been dubbed as the worst miscarriage of justice in British legal history. Lead campaigner and former subpostmistress Jo Hamilton said the report 'shows the full scale of the horror that they unleashed on us'. The scandal was propelled into the spotlight in January last year following the airing of ITV's drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, starring actor Toby Jones about Sir Alan Bates, former sub-postmaster and founder of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance. Ex-Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells is accused of overseeing a huge number of wrongful prosecutions and convictions, and was in post at the time Sir Wyn said bosses should have known Horizon was faulty. The chairman's 162-page report criticised the 'unnecessarily adversarial attitude' of the Post Office and its advisers towards making compensation offers to victims and that the organisation and the Government 'simply failed to grasp how difficult it would be to provide appropriate financial redress.' Approximately 1,000 people were wrongly prosecuted and convicted throughout the UK between 1999 and 2015 as a result of faulty Fujitsu software, with a significant number contemplating self-harm, the report said. Sir Wyn also singled out the behaviour of Post Office investigators, saying subpostmasters 'will have been in wholly unfamiliar territory and they will have found the experience to be troubling at best and harrowing at worst'. The publication of the first tranche of the report on Tuesday focused solely on the devastating impact of the scandal on victims and the compensation offered to subpostmasters, with a further report potentially attributing blame expected at a later date. Teasing his conclusions for the final overarching report, which is still likely to be some months away, Sir Wyn said: 'Although many of the individuals who gave evidence before me were very reluctant to accept it, I am satisfied from the evidence that I have heard that a number of senior, and not-so-senior employees of the Post Office knew or, at the very least should have known, that Legacy Horizon was capable of error. 'Yet for all practical purposes, throughout the lifetime of Legacy Horizon, the Post Office maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate.' Sir Wyn made a total of 19 recommendations as part of his report, including that the Government and the Post Office should make a public announcement about what they mean by 'full and fair redress'. He also said claimants who apply for compensation as part of the main scheme, the Horizon Shortfall Scheme, should be entitled to free legal advice. The chairman also addressed criticism of another scheme, the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, saying claimants should be entitled to the £600,000 fixed offer even if they submit their own detailed individual claim. Sir Wyn urged the Government to establish a public body to devise, administer and deliver compensation to those wronged by authorities. The report said the number of people eligible to submit compensation claims as part of the scandal is likely to rise 'by at least hundreds, if not more, over the coming months'. In a statement, the Post Office said: 'The inquiry has brought to life the devastating stories of those impacted by the Horizon Scandal. 'Their experiences represent a shameful period in our history. 'Today, we apologise unreservedly for the suffering which Post Office caused to postmasters and their loved ones. 'We will carefully consider the report and its recommendations.'
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Post Office scandal may have led to more than 13 suicides, official inquiry finds
More than 13 people may have killed themselves as a result of the Post Office Horizon scandal, the first tranche of a public inquiry's final report has concluded in what has been described as the worst miscarriage of justice in UK history. The inquiry chairman, retired judge Sir Wyn Williams, said at least 59 people "contemplated suicide at various points in time" and "attributed this to their experiences with Horizon and/or the Post Office". Post Office bosses should have known Horizon was faulty but "maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate" when prosecuting subpostmasters, the key report found. Sir Wyn said"a number of senior" people at the organisation were aware the system, known as Legacy Horizon, was capable of error up until it was changed in 2010, with a number of employees also aware the updated system, Horizon Online, also had bugs and defects. He said there was a "real possibility" 13 people took their own lives as a result of the suffering they endured during the scandal. Sir Wyn said around 10,000 people are eligible to submit compensation claims following what has been dubbed as the worst miscarriage of justice in British legal history. The scandal was propelled into the spotlight in January last year following the airing of ITV's drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, starring actor Toby Jones about Sir Alan Bates, former sub-postmaster and founder of the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance. Ex-Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells is accused of overseeing a huge number of wrongful prosecutions and convictions, and was in post at the time Sir Wyn said bosses should have known Horizon was faulty. The chairman's 162-page report criticised the "unnecessarily adversarial attitude" of the Post Office and its advisers towards making compensation offers to victims and that the organisation and the Government "simply failed to grasp how difficult it would be to provide appropriate financial redress." Approximately 1,000 people were wrongly prosecuted and convicted throughout the UK between 1999 and 2015 as a result of faulty Fujitsu software, with a significant number contemplating self-harm, the report said. Sir Wyn also singled out the behaviour of Post Office investigators, saying subpostmasters "will have been in wholly unfamiliar territory and they will have found the experience to be troubling at best and harrowing at worst". The publication of the first tranche of the report on Tuesday focused solely on the devastating impact of the scandal on victims and the compensation offered to subpostmasters, with a further report potentially attributing blame expected at a later date. Teasing his conclusions for the final overarching report, which is still likely to be some months away, Sir Wyn said: "Although many of the individuals who gave evidence before me were very reluctant to accept it, I am satisfied from the evidence that I have heard that a number of senior, and not-so-senior employees of the Post Office knew or, at the very least should have known, that Legacy Horizon was capable of error. "Yet for all practical purposes, throughout the lifetime of Legacy Horizon, the Post Office maintained the fiction that its data was always accurate." Sir Wyn made a total of 19 recommendations as part of his report, including that the Government and the Post Office should make a public announcement about what they mean by "full and fair redress". He also said claimants who apply for compensation as part of the main scheme, the Horizon Shortfall Scheme, should be entitled to free legal advice. The chairman also addressed criticism of another scheme, the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme, saying claimants should be entitled to the £600,000 fixed offer even if they submit their own detailed individual claim. Sir Wyn urged the Government to establish a public body to devise, administer and deliver compensation to those wronged by authorities. The report said the number of people eligible to submit compensation claims as part of the scandal is likely to rise "by at least hundreds, if not more, over the coming months". In a statement, the Post Office said: "The inquiry has brought to life the devastating stories of those impacted by the Horizon Scandal. "Their experiences represent a shameful period in our history. "Today, we apologise unreservedly for the suffering which Post Office caused to postmasters and their loved ones. "We will carefully consider the report and its recommendations." If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@ or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Guardian
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Oh my God, she's been buried!': Mr Bates star Monica Dolan on Paula Vennells, playing heroes and villains, and why TV is getting more generic
Monica Dolan is so gentle and unassuming that, sitting in a giant armchair in a London hotel, she looks as if she could be swallowed up by its upholstery. But then, the Middlesbrough-born 56-year-old has made her name dissolving into roles – especially those inspired by real people. She won a Bafta for her chilling performance as serial killer Rose West in 2011's Appropriate Adult, and rave reviews for her turn as kooky life insurance scammer Anne Darwin in The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe. Last year, her appearance in ITV's Mr Bates vs the Post Office as the fierce Jo Hamilton – the post office operator who faced criminal charges when a computer system failure led to her and hundreds of others being wrongly accused of theft – became a national talking point. The four-part British drama, which aired in January 2024, prompted public outrage. In the aftermath of the show, the former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells handed back her CBE and the government was pressed into launching a new compensation scheme. You won best supporting actress at the Baftas 13 years ago. Now you're nominated again. Does it feel different this time? It's a bit like when you go back to your first school and the chairs look really small. Whereas before I felt like I was trying to get into a world, now I feel slightly more like I'm, hopefully, in it – and welcoming other people as well. Mr Bates vs the Post Office caused real-world action. How did it feel when that played out? I was shocked by the audience reaction, and how proud I was of the audience reaction. I saw that the compensation, promised after the show's success, is taking longer than post office operators were hoping. They've actually re-engaged the subpostmasters in a process where they have to apply, and this is what those people have been doing for years. And it's just not fair to make them do it again. They don't trust it any more. I've got a friend whose auntie has just said: 'It's taken up enough of my life.' She's not even trying to get the money. She doesn't want to go through it. You've played a lot of real people. Does that come with extra responsibility? Oh yeah! One of the most moving days of my career was when we went to Bafta to the screening of Mr Bates vs the Post Office. There was going to be a Q&A. Lots of subpostmasters were there. What if they had turned around and said: 'That's not our story at all and you've misrepresented us'? At the same time, the first duty is to the script. Nobody knows the whole truth of any situation. Are you and Jo Hamilton still in touch? Yes, she texted me yesterday. We're both very into our dogs. What's your opinion of Paula Vennells after making the show? I listened to the first day of the inquiry, when Paula was giving evidence. I thought: 'Right, this is where she gets exposed.' Then Rishi Sunak resigned, so I was like: 'Oh my God, she's been buried.' Then I thought, she's so lucky. What's the most research you've done to play a real person? When I played Rosemary West, I went to her solicitor and got the transcript of the court case, which the TV company hadn't managed to do. What's the secret to playing a villain? Don't deliberately not want to be liked, otherwise you end up twirling a moustache. There's been a lot of talk about a funding crisis in British drama. Have you felt the effects of that? Well, I've definitely felt that the things that I've been doing have been very stripped back and, you know, there isn't a lot. At the best of times, there's a fear of taking risks but now, particularly, people aren't even pitching things they would have pitched a couple of years ago. There seems to be more push with the scripts I read, making them generic. What TV shows have you been enjoying at the moment?Smoggie Queens. It's about inclusivity and finding another family than your birth family, and it's extremely funny as well. There are so many things in it that appeal to everyone, but there are certain jokes that you'd only get if you're from Middlesbrough. What's your guilty pleasure TV show? Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia. In the whole of Australia, they couldn't find anyone to train their dogs apart from Graeme Hall, this bloke from Yorkshire! I watch it if I need cheering up. The Bafta Television Awards with P&O Cruises is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer tomorrow at 7pm. Catch the full lineup of our Bafta TV special launching across the weekend and starring best actor nominees David Tennant, Lennie James, Monica Dolan, Billie Piper, Richard Gadd, Marisa Abela and Sharon D Clarke Read more in the series
