Ex-Post Office CEO Paula Vennells influenced to avoid 'front page news'

The former CEO of the Post Office, Paula Vennells, faced questions about her involvement in wrongly prosecuting sub-postmasters. In July 2013, an email exchange revealed concerns about convictions possibly being wrong due to the Post Office's IT system. Ms. Vennells admitted that a mediation scheme might have been used to minimize compensation for sub-postmasters. This raised questions about the purpose of the scheme and the language used to describe it. The inquiry also discussed a report highlighting issues with the Horizon IT system, potentially preventing miscarriages of justice. Between 1999 and 2015, 983 UK convictions were made based on faulty Horizon data. Ms. Vennells acknowledged that she was unaware the Post Office was prosecuting sub-postmasters until 2012. The decision not to review past convictions was criticized as a missed opportunity. Ms. Vennells and her colleagues were accused of trying to manipulate language to downplay the severity of the situation. The inquiry revealed concerns about minimizing media attention and avoiding scrutiny of past convictions. Sub-postmasters who were wrongfully prosecuted expressed frustration with the Post Office's handling of the situation. Overall, the inquiry shed light on the challenges faced by sub-postmasters and the need for accountability within the Post Office. The focus on language manipulation and minimizing compensation raised questions about the organization's priorities and treatment of those affected by wrongful convictions.