PO Scandal

[swill453]

The (long) Private Eye article from last year summarising the story so far is here https://www.private-eye.co.uk/pictures/ ... e-post.pdf

Some of the case studies are heartbreaking.

And it's obvious that obfuscation and coverups at the highest level were still going on very recently.

Scott.

[cinelli]

I have been following this case for some time but have only just seen this thread on TLF. So I apologise if this has already been said. The inquiry has been going for a fortnight and the sessions are been shown live on YouTube and all the earlier sessions are available. They are chilling, heartbreaking and moving. I hesitate to recommend these YouTube videos apparently for entertainment value but they make for compulsive viewing. Several participants are clearly uncomfortable in giving evidence but they make the point that they hope that more sub post masters and mistresses can be persuaded to come forward. Of particular note (in my opinion) are

Seema Mistra, day 10, AM
Chris Trousdale, day 7 AM
Kevin Palmer, day 8 PM
Scott Darlington, day 4 PM

Some might find these videos too upsetting to watch. They can be found by typing "youtube post office inquiry" into Google.

Cinelli

[Leothebear]

I suspect there are those within the PO hierarchy and elsewhere who are grateful to Putin for knocking this business off the front pages. I hope to God, it has no effect on finding those responsible and bringing them to account.

[Gerry557]

Yes this is a sad situation.

I had an interest as I previously did error investigation and human factors investigations. This was normally around mistakes that resulted in accidents or incidents.

This appears to be more of a cover up but I suspect that it is unlikely that named individuals in either the software or post office management side of things will be revealed.

I think that Joe public would like to see someone, preferably a few someone's in the Dock.

The first couple of postmasters found wanting might have been a mistake but at some point it became something much different. I'm not sure if any of this would be illegal although morally wrong but there might be some court cases where the testimony under oath can be identified as incorrect.

[UncleEbenezer]

I suspect there are those within the PO hierarchy and elsewhere who are grateful to Putin for knocking this business off the front pages. I hope to God, it has no effect on finding those responsible and bringing them to account.

Hmm. Do you think our Prime Minister is cursing the fact that these two distractions (from himself, obviously) are running concurrently? Or perhaps he's just glad that those of his friends who are implicated in the PO scandal will pass largely-unnoticed?

This appears to be more of a cover up but I suspect that it is unlikely that named individuals in either the software or post office management side of things will be revealed.

Individuals have been named and shamed many times by the journalists who have followed the story over many years:
- Computer Weekly, who broke the tech side of it
- BBC, who have supported an investigative journo on the case and some great reporting
- and above all, Private Eye, who have named and shamed not just top figures at the Post Office, but also some very senior (including cabinet level) politicians and others.

[AleisterCrowley]

As I've mentioned previously, I'm surprised this didn't show up on the books. Surely if postmasters were 'paying back' money that wasn't missing in the first place it would have been flagged up by the accounting systems?

[swill453]

As I've mentioned previously, I'm surprised this didn't show up on the books. Surely if postmasters were 'paying back' money that wasn't missing in the first place it would have been flagged up by the accounting systems?

I answered this on the previous page. The postmasters were literally not given access to the system which was telling them money was missing. And it was missing because Horizon had invented phantom transactions because it didn't understand its own messaging system.

Paraphrased "You've sold 10,000 stamps but only have the money for 5000 stamps, you must have stolen the rest. No, you can't see our proof".

Scott.

[Gerry557]

I suspect there are those within the PO hierarchy and elsewhere who are grateful to Putin for knocking this business off the front pages. I hope to God, it has no effect on finding those responsible and bringing them to account.

Hmm. Do you think our Prime Minister is cursing the fact that these two distractions (from himself, obviously) are running concurrently? Or perhaps he's just glad that those of his friends who are implicated in the PO scandal will pass largely-unnoticed?

This appears to be more of a cover up but I suspect that it is unlikely that named individuals in either the software or post office management side of things will be revealed.

Individuals have been named and shamed many times by the journalists who have followed the story over many years:
- Computer Weekly, who broke the tech side of it
- BBC, who have supported an investigative journo on the case and some great reporting
- and above all, Private Eye, who have named and shamed not just top figures at the Post Office, but also some very senior (including cabinet level) politicians and others.

When I said revealed, I meant as named in the Dock or even less likely, behind bars!

[88V8]

When I said revealed, I meant as named in the Dock or even less likely, behind bars!

I do agree.
But sometimes the bigger the crime the less likely one is to be prosecuted.
Mainly though the govt and the PO will get away with it because the leftie media and the twitterati really don't care a hoot.

If some of the ethnic minority Postmasters became more visible something might happen.
Maybe Sadiq Khan will get involved. After all he used to be a human rights lawyer. Perhaps he could do something useful for a change.

V8

[didds]

When I said revealed, I meant as named in the Dock or even less likely, behind bars!

I do agree.
But sometimes the bigger the crime the less likely one is to be prosecuted.
Mainly though the govt and the PO will get away with it because the leftie media and the twitterati really don't care a hoot.V8

Private Eye is rightie media then? really ?

[UncleEbenezer]

Private Eye is rightie media then? really ?

Well, they tend to be right about more "sensitive" and "difficult" matters than other media. Hence punching above their weight in stories like the PO scandal.

[didds]

I don't see PE as being left or right. Just attempting to shine a light on anything that is wrong. They of course do get things wrong themselves, but I sense no political agenda, unless a "lets show how rubbish the govt are" is a political agenda in itself no matter who the govt is.

[jackdaww]

as an ex IT systems designer/programmer , the first thing that sprang to mind was IT faults.

many , many IT systems have bugs , large and small .

the idea that so many postmasters would be committing fraud was just raving .

[UncleEbenezer]

the idea that so many postmasters would be committing fraud was just raving .

The latest BBC report just a week or two back found (among other things) what may be the ultimate story there. From - I forget where, I think it was northwest England.

Postmaster in trouble, commits suicide. Family of course devastated.

Unconnected man buys the business and in just a few months finds himself in trouble too (but thankfully he's still alive to be interviewed). Same bloomin' post office! Of course they also told him he was the only one ...

[swill453]

the idea that so many postmasters would be committing fraud was just raving .

But the only people who knew it involved "so many postmasters" were actively covering up that fact, and maliciously blaming the individuals.

Scott.

[Redmires]

the idea that so many postmasters would be committing fraud was just raving .

The latest BBC report just a week or two back found (among other things) what may be the ultimate story there. From - I forget where, I think it was northwest England.

Postmaster in trouble, commits suicide. Family of course devastated.

Unconnected man buys the business and in just a few months finds himself in trouble too (but thankfully he's still alive to be interviewed). Same bloomin' post office! Of course they also told him he was the only one ...

This was reported on last weeks BBC Radio 'File On Four', well worth a listen

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0014g0q

[88V8]

...the leftie media and the twitterati really don't care a hoot.

Private Eye is rightie media then? really ?

Not by my definition
But they are an honourable exception.

V8

[didds]

Private Eye is rightie media then? really ?

Not by my definition
But they are an honourable exception.

V8

maybe because they choose not top align with any political ideology. radical idea.

[UncleEbenezer]

maybe because they choose not top align with any political ideology. radical idea.

Not that radical. A plague on both your houses goes back a few years ...

[didds]

maybe because they choose not top align with any political ideology. radical idea.

Not that radical. A plague on both your houses goes back a few years ...

Indeed. I was being ironic