Publish Workplace scandal: Ex-boss who accused subpostmasters of getting ‘their hand within the until’ underneath contemporary fireplace | Enterprise Information

A former Publish Workplace boss who blamed money shortfalls attributable to pc glitches on department managers “with their hand within the until” has confronted a backlash.

An e-mail written by Alan Cook dinner, who was managing director of the group from 2006 to 2010, has been learn out to the general public inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal.

Giving proof on Friday, he mentioned it was an expression he would “remorse for the remainder of my life”.

Mr Cook dinner was on the helm when about 200 prosecutions had been introduced towards subpostmasters.

Regardless of being in cost, he mentioned he was “unaware” it was the Publish Workplace that had introduced legal proceedings towards people – and that in his time within the high job, it didn’t really feel just like the Publish Workplace “had a disaster on its fingers”.

However subpostmistress Janet Skinner, who confronted an extended struggle for justice after being wrongfully jailed, has dismissed Mr Cook dinner’s testimony, arguing folks’s lives had been destroyed when he was “sat on the head of the desk”.

An e-mail despatched by Mr Cook dinner in October 2009 to a Royal Mail Group press officer mentioned: “For some unusual purpose there’s a steadily constructing nervousness concerning the accuracy of the Horizon system and the press are on it now as effectively.

“It’s… unusual in that the system has been steady and dependable for a few years now and there’s completely no logical purpose why these fears ought to now develop.

“My instincts inform me that, in a recession, subbies (subpostmasters) with their hand within the until select in charge the expertise when they’re discovered to be wanting money.”

Pressed over his remarks on the inquiry, Mr Cook dinner mentioned: “Properly that is an expression I’ll remorse for the remainder of my life. It was an inappropriate factor to place in an e-mail – not in keeping with my view of subpostmasters.”

Former subpostmaster Sami Sabet, whose conviction for theft was quashed, mentioned: “It is unbelievable, unbelievable that he’d suppose that it is apparent they thought that each one us subpostmasters had been thieves and dishonest.”

Lots of of individuals had been wrongly convicted of stealing after bugs and errors within the Horizon accounting system made it seem as if cash was lacking at their branches.

Victims confronted jail and monetary damage, others had been ostracised by their communities, whereas some took their very own lives.

Recent consideration was delivered to the scandal after ITV broadcast the drama Mr Bates Vs The Publish Workplace, prompting authorities motion.

Earlier, as he started giving proof, Mr Cook dinner mentioned he wished to “placed on report most strongly my private apology and sympathies with all subpostmasters, their households and people affected by this”.

He additionally informed the inquiry: “I used to be unaware that the Publish Workplace had been the prosecuting authority.

“I knew there have been court docket instances however did not realise that the Publish Workplace in about two-thirds of the instances had initiated the prosecution versus the DPP (director of public prosecutions) or the police.”

Throughout his time as non-executive director of the Publish Workplace, Mr Cook dinner mentioned it was his “remorse” he didn’t correctly perceive minutes of a gathering which mentioned the organisation had a “precept of enterprise prosecutions”.

He mentioned: “It by no means occurred to me studying that that the Publish Workplace was the only arbiter of whether or not or not that legal prosecution would proceed.”

Throughout his time on the Publish Workplace, Mr Cook dinner mentioned in his witness assertion it was not obvious there was an issue with the Horizon system, declaring that monetary audits “didn’t determine a systemic situation”.

He added: “It’s a matter of deep remorse to me that I didn’t recognise that the early points raised in 2009 had been a sign of a systemic situation earlier than I left POL (Publish Workplace Restricted) in February 2010.

“As well as, I’ve since discovered that the annual price of prosecutions introduced by POL within the seven years previous to my appointment (ie since 1999) had remained regular throughout that point, and continued to stay regular throughout my time in workplace and thereafter. It didn’t really feel, on the time, that POL had a disaster on its fingers.”

However chatting with Sky Information, Mrs Skinner mentioned: “I believe they have an inclination to choose and select what they bear in mind and what they do not.

“He was sat on the head of that desk, he was effectively conscious of what it was doing to folks. And I believe they simply want to grasp that is truly individuals who have destroyed folks. It isn’t nearly computer systems.”

Pressed over whether or not she believed Mr Cook dinner’s claims he had not been conscious of the extent of the IT issues, Mrs Skinner mentioned: “No, I do not. Completely not.”