Former Post Office Chief Executive Paula Vennells appeared at the Post Office Inquiry today, facing tough questioning about her role in the scandal that has rocked the organization.
Vennells, a former Church of England lay preacher and ex-CBE, arrived at the inquiry with her reputation and possibly her liberty at stake. After more than five hours of testimony, she had done little to restore her reputation and the possibility of facing legal repercussions remained a very real concern.
While Vennells gave her testimony, her nemesis Alan Bates was meeting with the Metropolitan Police to discuss their ongoing investigation. The day proved to be an uphill battle for Vennells, beginning with her arrival in the midst of a media frenzy usually reserved for celebrities and those facing public scrutiny.
Having managed to avoid any consequences for nearly nine years, Vennells was met with a crowd of around 150 sub-postmasters, the very individuals whose lives have been devastated by the scandal that took place under her leadership. As the ultimate authority in the organization, she faced a tough audience who held her responsible for their wrongful imprisonment.
Prior to her testimony, the inquiry chair Sir Wyn Williams reminded Vennells of her right to avoid self-incrimination. She chose to open with an apology, expressing remorse for the sub-postmasters and their families whose lives were ruined. She also offered a specific apology to Mr Bates and Lord Arbuthnot, their parliamentary champion, as well as the investigators from Second Sight who exposed the Post Office’s failings and were subsequently shut down for their efforts.
However, Vennells’ brief moment of respite was short-lived as lead counsel Jason Beer KC took the stand. Employing irony as his main weapon, he asked Vennells if she was “the unluckiest chief executive in history?” After a long pause, she responded with her fundamental defense, claiming that during her 12 years at the Post Office, seven of them as chief executive, she was completely unaware of the multiple issues that led to the miscarriage of justice.
Despite her 775-page witness statement, Vennells claimed to have no knowledge of critical matters such as bugs in the Horizon computer system and the instructions to shred documents. Beer continued to press her, asking if she believed there was a 12-year conspiracy involving different individuals in the organization to deceive her. After careful consideration, she stated that there may have been mistakes made but stopped short of using the term “conspiracy.”
Throughout her testimony, Vennells repeatedly claimed to have been unaware of crucial matters. For instance, she stated that she did not know the Post Office had the power to investigate and prosecute its staff, despite this being a long-standing practice since the 17th century. When confronted with evidence, including emails and documents she had sent and received, Vennells claimed to have misunderstood their meaning at the time.
Her testimony was marked by several emotional moments, including moments of tears. However, she also struggled to provide clear and consistent answers, often falling silent when faced with contradictions in her evidence. The sub-postmasters in attendance showed their disdain for her testimony, with hollow laughter accompanying some of her responses.
One particularly somber moment occurred when Vennells was questioned about the suicide of sub-postmaster Martin Griffiths. She appeared to attribute his death to his mental health rather than the actions of Post Office investigators who were pursuing him. When pressed on this, she stated, “Sorry is not an adequate word, I am just very sorry that Mr Griffiths is not here today.”
Vennells will continue her testimony for two more days, but based on today’s evidence, her defense may be running out of options.
