Paula Vennells may have known about faulty Horizon software
PAULA VENNELLS, the former Post Office chief executive, may have known of allegations that the Horizon system could be remotely accessed two years before prosecutions were halted, audio footage suggests.
Tapes obtained by Channel 4 News show that the Post Office’s chief lawyer is heard confirming twice that Ms Vennells had been briefed about a “covert operations team” that could remotely access sub-postmaster accounts.
The audio recordings date to 2013, two years before the Post Office halted prosecutions against its own sub-postmasters. Ms Vennells also went on to tell MPS in 2015 that remote access to accounts was not possible.
In written evidence to the Business,
Innovation and Skills Committee Inquiry, the Post Office stated: “There is no functionality in Horizon for either a branch, Post Office or Fujitsu to edit, manipulate or remove transaction data
once it has been recorded in a branch’s accounts.” Channel 4’s newly uncovered tapes derive from a call on which investigators from forensic accountancy firm Second Sight, along with several Post Office executives, were present. At one point, Susan Crichton, the Post Office’s then-general counsel, is asked whether Ms Vennells is aware of the allegation that Second Sight were investigating.
This concerned the existence of the remote unit at Bracknell’s Fujitsu headquarters. “[Paula] knows about the allegation. She knows we are working on it”, Ms Crichton’s voice is heard saying in the clip.
A statement released on behalf of Ms Vennells by her lawyers said: “I continue to support and focus on co-operating with the inquiry and expect to be giving evidence in the coming months.”
Susan Crichton did not respond to Channel 4 News’s requests for comment. Fujitsu declined to comment.
A Post Office spokesman said: “We remain fully focused on getting to the truth of what happened and supporting the statutory Public [Inquiry].”